Pokemon Ranger Shadow of A Doubt
by waterlily12
Summary: From a student to a ranger to a Top Ranger, Kate's life is filled with adventures that she didn't expect to be involved in, ranging from trivial errands to personal matters to life-threatening situations. But something isn't right. Something is casting a shadow over everyone's lives. The past must be fixed before a future can be guaranteed. Almiashipping. Rated T cuz I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1 - First Day At School

Chapter 1

_Updated: 1/19/15_

* * *

"Capture on!" I send out a disc from the green Styler in my hand. I point it at the Pikachu that I am supposed to capture and make circular moments and slashes, the disc following my movements. The disc leaves a glowing trail behind it, which closes up on the Pokémon and encircles it with a solid circle. Before the Pikachu can react, I speed up my arm movements, and there is a flash of bright light. I click the disc back into the Styler. The capture is complete.

"Congratulations!" Someone claps out of nowhere after my capture.

"Huh...?" I snap out from my concentration with a blank expression on my face. There is a man standing a few feet away, wearing a green collar shirt with a red handkerchief as a tie. The shirt is followed with blue jeans and brown loafers. The green hat on his head hide the color of his hair so I couldn't tell.

The Pikachu that I captured immediately scurry to his side and other his shoulder.

"My name is Kaplan, and you are now a member of our secret organization, Team School, planning to take over the world!"

"Wha...?" I blink. The hell? Did I miss something?

"You are now certified to keep your uniforms and the School Styler you used earlier! Together we will rule the world! MUWHAHAHA!"

"Pika pi..." The Pikachu shakes his head in dismay.

"Excuse me?" I say, not understanding what he is rambling about. Last time I check, I signed up for a Ranger school, not... whatever nonsense this man is talking about.

"Mr. Kaplan! Please don't tease my students with that ridiculous performance of yours!" says a female voice in exasperation. I turn around to see a lady with long brown hair who's wearing a green blouse and a white skirt, looking very professional. The laughing dies out quickly with her entrance.

"Heheh... Terribly sorry, Ms. April." The one name Mr. Kaplan scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "The timing was just too perfect to ignore! And it was amusing to see the student's face!"

I sweatdrop. Really?

"Ahem!" He clears his throat and beams at me. "Let me start over. Congratulations on passing the Ranger School's entrance exam with flying colors! It was quite an impressive sight."

"Um... thank you." I give him a little bow, but honestly, I can barely remember what I did. What I think I saw however... it was weird. It was just blots of red, purple, and green.

Oh well, it's probably nothing.

"Let me congratulate you as well!" Ms. April says and turns to me, gaining my attention. "Starting today, you will be officially enrolled in the Ranger School! I am Ms. April, and I'll be your classroom teacher from now on."

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. April!" I say, with a little bow for courtesy... again.

Ms. April chuckles subtly. "You're very polite, my class could learn a thing or two from you. Come, your new classmates are waiting and class is starting." She begins to walk for the exit. "I'll show you the way to our class."

"O-okay..." I reply nervously and follow her out, taking one last glance at the weird man.

"ENJOY YOUR SCHOOL LIFE!" He grins and waves goodbye.

_And enjoy the mental asylum someday._

...

Ms. April tells me to wait outside until she signals me into class. I look around the hall, noting that this school have a traditional setting. Even when I was outside, the school didn't look like the modern ones that I have seen. I turn my attention back to the room in front of me. The door to the classroom is so thin that I can hear what they're saying through it which is impossible to avoid since they are pretty loud in there.

"Good morning, class, and sorry for the delay!"

"Morning!" reply the chorus of students back to Ms. April's voice.

"Today, we will start off with a new transfer student that will be attending our class!"

I start to feel nervous as the classmates-I-have-yet-to-meet start having little conversations about me.

"A new student?"

"In the middle of the school year?"

"Is that even possible?"

"Apparently."

"I hope it's someone cool or cute!"

"Is it a girl or a boy?"

"It has to be a girl! It will even out the gender ratio!"

"No, boy!"

"Girl!"

"Boy! We all know that girls aren't good enough to get into this school!"

"_Excuse me?!_ Who do you think you're talk to here?!"

"Shaddup will you? Who cares! Wait, what are we talking about?"

"Keith, maybe if you start listening for once you would know!"

"As if, Rhythmi!"

Ms. April sighs loudly as the riot breaks out. "Just come in."

"Well, that's my cue," I murmur. My stomach churns as I slide open the classroom door and walk up through the big space in the middle of the two rows of desks. I feel chills going down my spine as everyone falls silent and gives me a stare. The atmosphere is unbearable, with the silence looming over as I face the entire class.

The girls high five while the boys groan quietly. I roll my eyes, temporarily forgetting my nervousness and the tension that I felt in the class.

"This new classmate of yours traveled to our Almia region to-" Ms. April is interrupted by a yawn from a boy with spiky red hair, but she continues as if it didn't happen at all. Was this a normal everyday thing then? "She is here to study on becoming a Pokémon Ranger."

I feel all eyes on me again as if they're trying to bore a hole in me, making me tremble nervously while my eyes take dart around quickly. I wish they can stop gawking at me like I'm something on display for the entire public to see.

I then take notice of a boy, with brown hair and a haircut that looks like a Buizel's. He's the only one that isn't paying attention – well, besides the rude boy with red hair. He's looking at the window to his side.

"Why don't you continue with your name?" Ms. April turns to me. "I'm sure they are excited to know."

_Why don't you just finish it for me?_ I sigh inwardly then look at the bored class. _Boy, are they excited._

"Hello." I put a hand on my hip. "My name is Kate Hitomi, and I'm so sorry I disappointed you boys; you can't have everything, now can you?"

The girls giggle and the boys burn red, knowing that I had overheard their little argument. Only the red-haired and brown-haired boy remain undisturbed.

Ms. April chuckles. "Let's make our new friend feel welcome. As you might not have heard, Kate has passed her entrance exam with- Keith Dazzle, what is with that face?"

I look to see who she is frowning at and see the same boy who yawned smirking widely at me.

He's annoying.

"Anyways, Kate, we'll have you sit..." Ms. April looks around for an empty desk. "...there."

I look to where she points, it's the first one on the second row to the right. I nod and walk past a blonde girl who smiles at me as I pass her. She sits in front of me and next to the boy with spiky red hair. I'm seated next to the boy who still isn't paying attention. The space between the desks is pretty roomy, so I set my school bag down on the floor at the side of my assigned seat.

"Alright class, I will change the schedule for today; this will be a study hour." Ms. April says affirmatively. "And Rhythmi, will you be kind enough to show Kate around the school?"

"Absolutely!" The blonde girl chirps.

"I will be in the staff room if anyone needs me," Ms. April says. As she leaves, every other student in the class encircles me with curiosity written on their faces. I start to panic inwardly. Why am I the center of attention?!

I look over at the silent boy, envying him.

Wish I could be as calm as him.

"Hey, new kid," The spiky-haired boy says, wheeling around in his chair. "How long did it take you to capture that Pikachu?"

"Um... what?" I ask blankly.

"With how you responded just now, I say... an hour, minimum!" He chuckles. That was so not funny. Alright. Time for a come back.

"Keith, stop being a show off." The blonde girl puts her hands on her hips, giving him a stern stare. I notice that all of the students are wearing the same green and blue uniform with a yellow tie.

"It's fine." I smile at her, then turn to the red-haired boy.

"Ha ha," I answer sarcastically. "Is that the time _you _took to capture the Pikachu? Then I'm pretty sure I top yours by far since I got 3.7 seconds."

The redhead drop his jaws in shock while our classmates laugh out loud.

"The new girl got you there!" says one of the surrounding classmate of mine.

"Really?" inquires a girl. "You really did it in that short of a time?!"

"Uh... yeah." I reply awkwardly.

"Then you have the second highest capture time, next to Hajime's!" Rhythmi remarks. "Oh! I'm Rhythmi Sinclair, I'm studying to be an Operator, and I'll be your tour guide for the school so let's get started!"

"Um... Okay."

I follow her as we walk out of class. Before we reach the door, she whispers to me.

"Sorry about Keith, he can be cocky at times but you sure did set him in his place!"

"I noticed," I reply, then look over my shoulder to see Keith pale with his jaw still dangling. If he keeps it open like that, he's going to catch a fly.

Then I look at the quiet one.

"That's Kellyn Hajime, the one I was talking about a minute ago." Rhythmi notices where I'm looking at. "He's cute, but also anti-social, serious, and he pretty much acts cold towards everyone except maybe Keith."

"Seriously?" I ask in monotone. "How do they even get along?"

I can't really picture someone like him to interact with Keith but that's just me since I only met them just now; one directly and the other, indirectly.

Rhythmi shrugs, then claps her hand together excitedly. "Enough about that, let the tour begin!" She pulls me out of the classroom. We go to another class, which is taught by Mr. Kincaid though i'm not really sure if we should be in his class while he is teaching. But Rhythmi didn't seem to bothered by this fact as she explains to me that Mr. Kincaid is really uptight and strict and has a motto of 'No running in the hallways.' Ms. April is different, but she has a stern side too, if you get on her nerves.

"What's with his hair?" I whisper to Rhythmi, seeing most of Mr. Kincaid's hair curled up to a corner and seem to be held in place, defying gravity.

"No idea, but that is a lot of hair spray and time that he has to invest to make it look like that," Rhythmi replies. Mr. Kincaid looks like he is going to give us a detention if we don't get out of his class, so we do.

"There's only two classes?" I ask after walking from Mr. Kincaid's class.

"Mhm, mostly because a lot of people fail the entrance exam," Rhythmi explains. "Though it's kinda of weird to have a new student in the middle of the year."

"Oh, really?" I say nervously. We visit the staff room, where I get to meet the principal, who's named Lamont. We talk with Ms. April for a few minutes, then we're out the door.

DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

"Sounds like class is over already," Rhythmi says, then leads me upstairs, where I'm introduced to Janice, the school-house keeper. On our way down the stairs and to the library, Rhythmi starts explaining other things that I should know. But my mind has switched its focus to my Styler. I take it out. It's green and complex, and I wonder how it works. So I tinker with it a tiny bit – well, okay, maybe not just a tiny bit- annndddd... it breaks.

"...Whoops," is the only thing I can say.

"What's wr-" Rhythmi looks back at the broken Styler in my hand and turns pale. "You broke it?!"

"S-sorry!" I straighten up. "I'll fix it!"

We are standing in front of the library door as I scramble to fix my Styler.

"Um..." I don't know where to start... I never had to fix a Styler before.

Aw, dang it! Why did I even tinker with it! The library door swings open. I stand frozen and panic inwardly.

Please don't be a teacher, please don't be a teacher, please don't be a teacher!

Both of us look up robotically to see who opened the door as if our life depends on whoever they see in front of us.

"Oh, it's you two," the boy says coldly. Rhythmi and I relax.

"It's only you, Kellyn." Rhythmi says with a sigh of relief.

The quiet boy turns his attention to me and I stiffen up, feeling a tad nervous and scarlet in the face, but his stare narrows down to my broken Styler.

"C'mon." He walks behind us and pushes us into the library and to an empty table. He snatches the broken Styler from my hand.

"H-hey!" I start to complain, but he goes right to working on my Styler. Kellyn takes out some tools and screws my device back together after inspecting the problem and fixing it. In no time, my Styler is as good as new.

He's good.

"Here." He hands it to me. I stare absentmindedly as he gives it back. I look up from my hand to see Kellyn reading a book. I can already read the atmosphere he is giving off and it says 'DO NOT DISTURB.'

Reclusive is right. But why did he bother to help me?

"Let's... just go." Rhythmi whispers, and I nod in agreement. Before we go, Rhythmi explains things about the library and that it's also known as Keith's nap room... aaaannnnddddd Keith is right there... napping... Also, the smartest student, Isaac, hangs around here during free period, and so does Kellyn.

How did he fix it so quickly? I look at my Styler from every angle.

"Don't even think about doing it again," Rhythmi seemingly reading my mind and scowl.

"I-I won't!" I straighten up and rub the back of my neck.

"Let's go outside for some fresh air!" she chirps, taking on her cheerful persona again.

I smile and nod. We walk out onto the grassy front lawn. The air is so refreshing that I immediately relax and stretch. Rhythmi points to a warehouse-looking building and explains some more things such as how the entire school is built on a remote island, connected by a bridge to Vientown and how long the school has been around. I nod in understanding. She clap her hands together after a few moments.

"Anyways, let's head-"

"Wah!" I'm suddenly pushed to the ground face-first, which hurts if I may add.

"Kate!" Rhythmi squeaks and runs over to help me up. I look to see some really upset Bidoof in front of me.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!" a voice screams in panic. "Someone please help!"

"Huh?" we both blurt out in unison. Then we see Janice stressing over the already-scattered Bidoof. With all of then running around, I couldn't tell how many of the Plump Mouse Pokemon there are.

"Oh no! Looks like Janice needs help ASAP!" Rhythmi shouts and turns to me. "Kate! Please help!"

"M-me?" I say, pointing at myself with a startled look. I duck as another Bidoof jumps at me.

"I was wondering what all the ruckus was about," a familiar voice rings in our ears.

Rhythmi and I turn to see- "Keith? Kellyn?"

They are at the front of the school entrance and a few meters behind us, looking at the scattered Bidoof running around.

"So you woke up from your nap?" Rhythmi crosses her arms while looking at our classmate in disapproval."Well, don't just stand there with an amused look on your face, Keith! Do something!"

Keith scowl and cross his arms. "You're not the boss of me Sinclair, so don't tell me what to do. If you think you're so high and mighty, why not do it yourself? Oh wait, you can't because you barely know how to handle a Styler!"

Rhythmi looks as though she is irked by the redhead. "Dazzle I swear, when I get my hands on you -"

"Okay, enough!" I start, seeing that this is going to get nowhere with the blooming argument. Bidoof running and screaming around if already enough so I don't need something more to add to my current headache. "Let's just capture the Bidoof first and then you can do whatever the hell you do as old married couples!"

That left Keith and Rhythmi speechless and Kellyn stands there with a raised eyebrow.

"Kate!" Rhythmi exclaims after coming back to reality. "We're not even close to being like that!"

I roll my eyes and takes out my Styler. "Whatever, let's just get this over with!"

Keith whistles mockingly. "Confident now are we? Why don't we make things interesting and make it a contest?"

"Is this really the time for a competition?!" Rhythmi shouts in disbelief at Keith's words.

"Anytime is good for a competition!" He grins and gives a peace sign. "So New Girl, you ready to pit against the two of us?"

Two? Don't tell me... I look at Kellyn's expressionless face. He's going to be a ranger too? I hadn't put that together yet... him fixing things threw me off.

"Geez! At least learn your classmate's name!" Rhythmi pouts.

"I'll learn it when I feel like it!" he shouts back. "Ready?"

He looks at Kellyn, who nods silently in response, and then they both look at me. When I meet Kellyn's gaze, his lips tug into a small smirk, as if silently saying 'let's see what you can do.' Though it didn't seem like the mocking kind, he looks as though he's expecting a challenge in this game.

"Um..." A Bidoof comes at me again and I duck and cover. Keith nearly falls over laughing. "How are you going to be a Ranger acting like that?!"

That sudden comment rings through my ears and mind.

The little...

"You're on," I say calmly. We spread out and run around, herding Bidoof as fast as we can. When the three of us all get close to one, we shout simultaneously: "Capture on!"

...

"Capture complete." Right after I say it, the other two say it as well, one after another.

"That's all the Bidoof!" Rhythmi sighs in relief as two columns of six Bidoof line up obediently.

"I got four, what did you guys get?" Keith asks.

"Five." Kellyn answers simply.

"Three." I answer in the same way.

"That means I won!" Keith exclaims. "I knew you having the second-shortest time was just a fluke!"

That snaps me out of my concentration. "Wha..?"

Rhythmi sweatdrops. "Technically, Kellyn won."

"Thank you so much for calming the Bidoof for me!" We see Janice walking up to us. "You students were outstanding in your capture!"

Keith forgets about the competition as he takes the praise.

"At least be a little humble..." Rhythmi mutters under her breath.

"And as for all you Bidoof, I'm so sorry for upsetting you earlier," Janice apologizes, petting one of the head. "I'll make you all some tasty Pokémon treats!"

The group of Plump Mouse Pokemon cheers happily before trailing before the Caretaker as she walks away.

"Hey, new kid." Keith turns to me. "I would rate your capture... 65 out of 100. But to be honest, you might make a pretty decent Ranger someday."

"Me?" I point to myself. I can't really remember what I did... it's all kinda... jumbled up. Why can't I remember? I never have this problem before so why now? It makes no sense.

"Hello? Earth to Kate!"

"Wha?" I snap out of my daze as I see a hand waving in front of my face. "Did you say something?"

"So you do remember her name!" Rhythmi speaks.

"Well... it's just a guess." Keith says sheepishly with his hands behind his head. "I was going to call her Katherine but that's way too long."

"Oh Keith, for goodness's sake." She gives him a smile and a shake of her head.

"Oi," he calls my attention again and jabs a thumb towards the silent boy. "If you haven't met him yet, this is Kellyn. He's pretty much a genius!"

Rhythmi coughs. "Smarter than you."

Keith glares at her.

"Oh! I forgot to show you one last place on campus!" Rhythmi says, ignoring Keith's glare easily.

"Is it Ascension Square?" Kellyn asks in monotone. Oh hey, he finally spoke after the whole Bidoof incident.

"Yep!"

"Then we'll tag along too!" Keith exclaims.

"Why?" Rhythmi asks, eyeing him strangely.

"Nothing else to do." Keith shrugs nonchalantly. "And the more the merrier right?"

"Fine, then let's go!" Keith and Rhythmi lead the way, seemingly racing each other to our destination.

I sigh. Can this day get any longer?

I saw Kellyn starting to follow but I stop him.

"W-wait!" I reach my hand out as if to grab his arm, but I don't. That would be awkward, seeing that I don't know him enough to do something like that.

"What?" He turns to stare at me, and I don't want to look back. I get a bit nervous and can't get anything past my mouth. When I don't say anything, he turns to start walking again.

"Um... Thank you!" I take a hasty bow. Kellyn turns to look at me with a questioning look.

"For what?" This time, I look into his crystal-blue eyes which is a bad idea because I became flustered. My mind race for any words to use for the moment.

"For um... for fixing my Styler a while ago!" I answer quickly. "I didn't get the chance to thank you while we were at the library, since I kinda spaced out there."

"It's fine. Not that big of a deal." he reply nonchalantly. I couldn't help but feel chills running down my spine when I hear the coldness in his tone. But there was also a gentleness to it.

"Hey! What's the hold up!?" Keith calls from way over by the stairs. We make our way over to them and walk down the stairs together to a monument with a large Ranger symbol on it.

"This is Ascension Square; later on in the school year, there is going to a special speaker coming here." Rhythmi explains. "That monument is the Pledge Stone and over there is the small port area that we have for boats."

I glance at the wooden platform extending out to the ocean before We head over to see the huge statue.

"If you make a pledge here with your friends, it will come true! At least, that's what we were told." Keith nods.

"And we're done with Rhythmi's School Tour of Wonders and Excitements!"

Keith sweatdrops. "You actually have a name for that?"

"I heard that!" Rhythmi starts chasing Keith around. Kellyn and I watch as they run around in circles and then I hear Kellyn sigh besides me.

"Do they act like this all the time?" I ask Kellyn. He only nod in reply.

DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

The two stop, with Rhythmi sitting triumphantly on top of Keith, after hearing the bell.

"Guess it's time to head back to class," Rhythmi states. "Anyways, Kate, I hope we get to be great friends!"

"Don't forget about us!" Keith grins. I smile and nod.

...

Later that night, I flop onto the bottom bunk of my bed, which is on the right side of the girl's bedroom. Then I remember something and look for a pen and paper. I have to write everything down so I can tell my little sis about my first day.

"Who are you writing to?" Rhythmi asks, peeking over my shoulder.

"My little sister," I reply.

"How old's your sister?"

"She's six. I promised her that I would write to her whenever I could after I left."

"You guys must be very close!" She smiles. I nod and tell her about my family and how my little sister and I like to do things together.


	2. Chapter 2 - Trial of Courage

Chapter 2

_Updated: 1/19/15_

* * *

Someone shakes my whole body, and I open my eyes groggily to see a blurry Rhythmi.

"Five more minutes..." I mumble sleepily and turn onto my side. This time, the shake is much more vigorous.

"Wha..." I sit up and rub my sleepy eyes, then look at the clock that says 1: 00 A.M. "Rhythmi... it's the middle of the night..." I groan.

"I know, but come with me- HEY, wake up!" I almost fall asleep again but my friend didn't allow me to do that. She shakes me awake again and practically yelling at my ears.

I bolt up from my bed, still exhausted and now nearly deaf. "I'm up, I'm up." I heave a sigh and hold up my tired hands in defeat. But who in there right mind would wake up at one the the morning? Especially to wake up more people.

"Great! c'mon then!" Rhythmi pips and motions her hand for me to follow her out of the dorm room.

"Okay..." I say groggily, but my grip slips as I try to get up from my bunk bed. "Wah!"

THUMP!

... I'm definitely not a morning person - if this could be consider morning at all.

Rhythmi turns to see me headbutting the floor. She facepalms and quickly helps me up, pulling me out of the dorm as she does so, saying something about not having time for this.

I rub my aching head as I stand by the table in the common room. I move to the couch to sit down so that I wouldn't fall because I'm feeling a little off balance right now. Probably because i'm still have asleep.

"Took you long enough!" Keith growls impatiently, standing with his arms crossed and tapping a foot against the floor. What got him so tied up in a knot?

"She was hard to wake up!" She looks at me as I begin to fall asleep again, on the couch this time.

"Kate!" They both snap at me, which causes me to straighten right up. Keith puts a hand on his forehead in exasperation. "Okay, I believe you but let's get this thing started already."

They say something else, but I can't make it out but I know that it's long, like an explanation; but the words went in from one ear and straight out the other.

"Wha...what's going on..?" I drone on sleepily and look around to see a group of students, including Keith, Rhythmi, and Kellyn. "Where are we and why are we here?" They all fall to the floor, except for Kellyn.

"Kate!" Keith take hold of my shoulders and shakes me to my core. "Wake up!"

The shaking is making me dizzy, but I became alert after. I slap his hands away and glare at him. "You didn't need to do it for that long."

"We're going to have you go through the Trial of Courage!" Rhythmi informs.

"The wha...?" I say blankly, forgetting my previous annoyance. They facefault again, but bolt right up after.

"Did you _not_ listen to us the first time?!" Keith whisper - yells in exasperation, holding his hands up in the air and making him look like a human shaped Y.

I shake my head. "Nope." I don't do well in paying attention when I'm sleepy, but then again, who does?

"Geez, now I know what it feels like when someone talks to me but I don't pay attention," Keith says indignantly, covering his face with his hands.

Rhythmi rolls her eyes and takes on the role of explaining to me what this trial is about. "Basically, every new student of the school is tested on the night that they arrive,"

"We did this a while ago," Keith says. "So now it's your turn!"

"Me?" I point to myself. They all nod, somewhat enthusiastic about this despite the early wake up call.

"Don't worry, Kellyn will accompany you, since you need a partner to do it!" Keith pushes Kellyn towards me, but I can tell that he doesn't even want to be here in the first place.

"I thought you said you wanted to do it again?" Rhythmi raises one eyebrow while asking the redhead testingly. "You were like 'I got this in the bag'."

"Well..." Keith scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "I, er... changed my mind..."

Rhythmi has a look of realization dawning her face and smirks. "O-h, I get it."

"W-what?" Keith says cautiously, stepping back in defense when he hear the teasing tone in her voice.

"You're afraid of the dark, aren't you?" Rhythmi taunts. "I remember when I got paired with you. It was hilarious!"

"What happened?" I ask out of curiosity but the thought of Keith being scared caught most of my attention.

"Well-"

"Okay, okay! I'll go with her!" Keith grumbles, interrupting the conversation while his face turns red.

"Uh, okay?" I blink. But be really embarrassing. I'll make a mental note to ask Rhythmi about it later, when Keith isn't around to interrupt us.

"I'll be nice and let Kellyn come along with you too." Rhythmi grins triumphantly and then pushes Kellyn towards us. "Be a dear and watch them so that they don't get in trouble okay?"

I can tell that he wants to argue but Rhythmi has this frightening look that leave no room for arguments. Didn't know she can do that.

"And here are your flashlights!" She hands the three of us flashlights, and shoves us down the stares. I was tempted to tinker with the flashlight that Rhythmi gave me, but I was prevented from doing so when tapping footsteps came from the side.

"W-what was that?!" Keith blanches and jumps behind us - or to be specific, behind me.

"Eh..?" I widen my eyes at his sudden reaction. I look over to Kellyn, who isn't bothered at all by any of this. He didn't complain -openly- about being dragged in this, either but his face clearly shows that this was a waste of his time. The two of us search with our flashlights and locate the tapping noise.

... It's a Bidoof.

"Be careful Keith, he might eat you," I deadpan, shining a spotlight on the Plump Mouse Pokemon and unintentionally scaring the Bidoof off. Keith puts a hand to his chest and sighs in relief.

"Just a Bidoof," he murmurs. "He startled me."

"Oh really?" I ask sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. "It look more like you were scared out of our writs. And can you let go of me now?"

"Huh?"

I point to the obvious hand that is still wrap around my waist. He quickly lets go of me and widening the distance between us. Even though it's dark, I can make out the reddish pink coloring his cheeks but from embarrass for hugging me or for being scared, I haven't a clue.

"A-a-anyway, l-let's g-get this o-over with!" he stammers uncharacteristically spooked. I roll my eyes. The show-off is losing his cool, fast.

The first place I go to is the staff room, or at least I think it is. I hold up my flashlight to the label that says: [Staff Room]

I open the door to see the empty staff room.

Okay... a bit creepy.

Everything is where they're supposed to be but there's this ominous air hanging in the atmosphere that send chills down my spine. Who knew the school could be this eerie during the night? It could be considered as a haunted house if there aren't actually people sleeping right on the floor above us.

"By the way... What am I supposed to do?"

"Okay so, you need to find the four Stylers that we left in each room and bring them down to the basement, and then we're done," Keith explains quickly. "No do this quietly."

"Okay, okay." I look around to see if there is one in the staff room, but there isn't. Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn to see Kellyn right behind me. For a second, my heart skips a beat and i jump in start. Ugh. Keith's fright is making me scared too.

"There." He points to a Pichu. I tilt my head, trying to figure out what he meant, but as the Pichu wanders around, I see a green Styler strapped onto his back.

"Oh! Thanks!"

"Kellyn! You're not supposed to give it away like that!" Keith snaps. Kellyn only shrugs. I walk over to the Pichu.

How hard is it to get it off of a Pichu?

I try to make a grab for the Pichu, but he notices me and runs away.

"Pi! Pichu!" He cries out, startled.

Okay... I take it back. This is going to take awhile.

"Hey! Come back here!" I left the door open, so the Pichu runs out in his panic. I chase him out of the room, not knowing where i'm going to be heading to.

"H-hey! W-wait up!" I hear Keith shout, but I'm too focused on the Pichu to stop.

"I should've used my styler to capture it when I had the chance!" I mutter, thinking how stupid I am. "Now I can barely locate the Pichu!"

I slide open the library and hurry inside. I see Pichu up on the highest shelf in the room, reaching to the ceiling in its glory. Why is there a shelf this high, anyways?

"Pichu!" He pulls the skin under its eye down and sticks out its tongue to mock me.

"Why you..." I get angry and dash to the shelf to start climbing. As I start up, everything begins repeating itself.

"Pi pichu!" He squeaks and starts to run away again.

"Oh no you don't." I take out my Styler and release the disc. "Capture on!"

I use my free arm to guide the disc, while the other one and my feet take a firm position on the shelves. The Pichu looks confused and readies an Thundershock. I clench my teeth as I move my arm faster. The disc makes a solid circle and engulfs Pichu in a flash, but he uses the electric-type move at the same moment.

"Rrrgh!" The electricity shocks me, and my grip slips, causing me to fall backwards. I close my eyes and wait for the pain of the impact. Three, two, one...

Nothing happened, I didn't feel anything. I barely open one of my eyes and see the silhouette of a figure. I open my other eye and realize who it is.

"Kellyn...?" I say, a bit surprised. He's carrying me bridal-style.

"Pi pichu!" Pichu hops down and walks to my side, looking apologetic.

Kellyn sighs. "You should think things through before you act."

My face blushes bright red but thank Arceus that he can't see my face in the dark. I wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea about this. "Could you put me down now?" I squeak.

He sets me down and put his hands on his hips. Pichu hands me the Styler he had with him and I thank him in return.

"You could've captured it without climbing up the shelf." Kellyn points out in an obvious tone.

"I... um..." I squeak, my face still red. My memories are kinda blurry. I felt a sudden soreness traveling through my body. I drop to down on one knee and put my elbow on it, panting.

What's going on?

"Are you okay?" He gets on one of his knees as well. I glance at him, and could swear I see a look of worry on his face, but he looks away. I look around and see another Styler, but... it's on a shelf. I stand up and walk to it, but end up falling forward again. Kellyn catches and supports me.

"Heheh... Let's just get this over with so I can go back to sleep." I laugh sheepishly. "i'm not a morning person... or night person."

"... I notice." he bother to comment impassively. I roll my eyes, blowing a strand o hair out of my eye and start to ascend the bookshelf.

At least it's not as high.

I run a hand on the very top, feeling for the familiar object. Once I got it, I promptly hop down, feeling the shock of hitting the ground springing up my spine as my feet land on the floor.

"Let's go!" He nods and follow me out.

"Oh, and thanks, Pichu!"

"Pi! Pichu!" He chirps and leaves. We leave and head over to our classroom.

"Wait." I stop, realizing something. "Where's Keith?"

We look around, but see no trace of him. How and when did we lose him?

Wait, wait, wait! That means... I'm alone... with Kellyn?! I panic inwardly as I turn red. Luckily, it's dark, so he doesn't notice it.

* * *

Keith's POV

"Um... guys?" I call out, but get no response. Chills run down my spine as I look around in the dark. I try walking around by I ended up hitting a wall. I stumble back and rub my face while cursing.

"Great time to lose my flashlight and them..." I grumble.

* * *

Kate's POV

Keith probably got lost and ended up back at the stairs, so I don't worry much about him. Kellyn... on the other hand, is a different story. The silence between us is nice but it's also unbearable. I want to say something but he'll probably shoot it down with a witty remark or something.

We enter our classroom, and at night, I have to admit it's pretty scary, even though I know it's my classroom. There is a shuffling noise, and I jump behind Kellyn.

"W-what is that?!"

"It's only a Bidoof." he says calmly, flashing his light at the Pokémon. I facepalm at my jumpiness.

"I'm starting to act like Keith..." I mutter, then see a bunch of crates. I guess the Styler is hidden in one of them, since I don't see it around anywhere; thankfully, there's the Bidoof in here.

"Capture on!" I release my disc and guide it to the Bidoof, making movements with the Styler until a solid line forms and the Pokémon flashes.

"Capture complete." I click my Styler as the disc returns to me.

"Bidoof, crush that crate!" I command, pointing at the one next to Ms. April's desk. Bidoof smashes the crate to pieces, and I find the third Styler.

"Thanks, Bidoof!" Bidoof smiles and walks away.

"One more to go," I murmur. Kellyn and I head to Mr. Kincaid's room and quickly spot the last Styler on a desk. I take it – now I'm almost done.

That one was the easiest yet!

I spoke too soon as a Zubat comes attacking my face.

"AHHH!" I scream and run around, trying to get the Zubat away from me. I hate bat pokemon. Period.

Someone takes ahold of me, and I look to see the Zubat flying away. I sigh inwardly and look up to see that it's Kellyn. I notice just how tall he is, and I wonder if he's older than me.

"Why didn't you capture it to calm it down?" He states like it's the most obvious thing to do. Which, I suppose, it is.

"Well, for one thing, it came out of nowhere." I hold up one finger, and then another. "Second, I'm... scared of Zubats."

I say the last part quickly while looking away, not wanting to see his expression.

"A Ranger must always face the unexpected and overcome their fears," he lectures me again.

"Whatever," I pout, my cheeks red with embarrassment.

Finally, we head down to the basement and place the four Stylers there.

This place... I can feel something weird in here...

We hear footsteps and someone comes out of the room in front of us.

"WHO'S THERE?!" It's Mr. Kincaid yelling at us. "NO ONE'S ALLOWED IN HERE EXCEPT FOR ME!"

"AHHHH!" I scream again and run away, pulling Kellyn with me by the cuff of his uniform. We climb, more like run, up the stairs, but I trip onto the very last one and faceplant onto the floor.

"Kate! Kellyn!" Rhythmi runs over to help me up.

"You guys took so long, I got worried!" Rhythmi says, wiping away a tear that was on her face, then turns her head. "As well as that guy."

I look to where she is glaring and see Keith sleeping on the couch.

"I knew it!" I say, pointing at Keith.

"Whuh?" Keith wakes up and sees the two of us and brighten up. "Kate! Kellyn!"

He jumps at us like a child. Kellyn avoids it, but I, unfortunately, didn't see it coming. "There you guys are!"

"HUH?!" I say, startled as he tackle me to the floor and hugging me like the idiot he is. "What are you?! A three year old?!"

"I tried to look for you guys, but I got lost and I lost my flashlight." Keith continues, ignoring whatever I just said.

It took awhile but I manage to pry him off of me.

He scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "And somehow... I managed to find my way back here."

"Duh... the school isn't that big." Rhythmi flicks his forehead.

"Well, can't really do anything about it anymore," Kellyn says, with a bit of cold tone. I stare at Kellyn.

"What?" He looks back at me.

"Nothing, just glad that you were with me," I say, bluntly but softly. Oops... did I really just say that?

He looks taken aback by what I said and... is that a tinge of red on his face? Must be getting too tired to see properly.

"Oh yeah... We met Mr. Kincaid in the basement..." I say, turning to Rhythmi and Keith.

"Uh oh," they both chorus as one, color draining from their faces.

My first day felt so long. It feels like I've been with these guys for a while. We go back to our respective dorms.

"Kate..." Rhythmi says, sounding like she realized something.

"Yeah?" I sit up from my bed to see Rhythmi somewhat speechless and pale. "W-what?"

"He blushed..."

"Who?" I tilt my head.

"I've never seen him like that..."

"You're making no sense." I frown, then yawn. "I'm going to sleep."


	3. Chapter 3 - Consequences

Chapter 3

_Updated: 1/19/15_

* * *

"Ugh..." I facedesk, obviously unhappy about the predicament I got into. "Why... why did we have to get detention..."

"Well, we did get caught by Mr. Kincaid in the restricted basement, and he recognized our faces," Kellyn states, staring boredly at the chalkboard with his head leaning on his hand.

"How was I supposed to know that he was in there?!" I sit up. He didn't say anything back, just shrug. Silence hangs in the air again - as if it isn't unbearable enough with only the two of us in an empty classroom.

"I been meaning to ask..." I start, wanting to break the silence. "Why are you so quiet?"

"Because I am." he shoots back and says no more than that. I furrow my brows, unsatisfied with the answer I got.

"Way to state the obvious." I say sarcastically, standing up and walking to his desk so that I can face him with a scowl. "I don't understand you."

"No one ask you to." his looks up at me placidly, his eyes seem to be analyzing me. It's as if he is trying to read me like an open book, ones that looks at a person and finds the flaws in them but don't point them out unless they want to.

I narrow my eyes at him. "I think I do... as a friend I mean."

He raise an intrigued eyebrow at me and then his lips curve into a subtle smile... or is that a smirk? I can't tell and he's making it less obvious than any people I met. He leans back on his chair with his arms cross but didn't say anything at first.

"One and a half days into school and you consider me as your friend when we hardly held a proper conversation?" He quips, I can hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "You really are an optimist, Hitomi."

"W-wha..." I say blankly, not expecting that response at all. Am I supposed to consider that as an insult or something?

"I didn't mean to say it as an insult." He adds, as if reading my mind. What the hell?! "Just an observation and you're making yourself like an open book so it's easy to tell what you're thinking."

"W-well..." I say, my mind a little jumble now and I can't find words to form sentences. "We're holding a conversation right now right?"

Kellyn raises an eye brow again, amused but didn't say anything.

"See?" I say proudly. "Now that that's out of the way, let's plot revenge against Mr. Kincaid!"

He chuckles lightly and I stare at him like he grew two heads. That was the first time that I heard him do that! And quite frankly, he didn't sound as much of a recluse that people say he is.

"Don't look at me like that," Kellyn demands, returning to his stoic expression. "I may be indifferent and reclusive - as others might put it - but I'm not a robot."

I shrug. "I never thought of you like that anyways."

Kellyn looks a me and I see a smile - not a smirk this time - tugging on his lips. "You really are different." he says softly, probably to himself but I heard him anyways. I have no idea what he meant by that though.

"Eh?"

The door slides open without much warning, interrupting our conversation. We turn around to check who it is, if it's Mr. Kincaid, I'm so dead because I'm no where near my seat on the other side of the room. But to my utter relief, it's only Rhythmi and Keith.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask. "Did you two get detention too?"

"Well... It was sorta our fault that you guys got detention... heheh," Keith says sheepishly.

"Sorta?" Kellyn raises an eyebrow.

"Ms. April said that we can come in," Rhythmi explains. "besides, we can't leave you alone with poor Kellyn because that would be one heck of a boring detention. So we decided to stay with you two for the rest of the day."

If she only knew...

I exchange a look with Kellyn and his face clearly tells be to not to say a word about our earlier conversation. I don't see any reason in not telling them but if he doesn't want to then I won't.

I yawn, feeling the exhaustion of staying up at night finally getting to me after all this time. My vision blur too quickly and I wobble to the side. I hear the scraping of a chair and running footsteps. I feel a arm snaking around me shoulders, preventing me from falling.

"Kate, are you okay?" Rhythmi asks frantically.

I rub my temple tiredly. "Never staying up late again and getting shocked from the Pichu was no help either."

...

After waking from a good night's sleep, I feel much better... though I seem to have gaps in my memories from the past few days. I look at the clock, which says I have an hour before class starts.

Holy... I woke up really early today...

I tiptoe out of the room, since my roommates are still asleep, then I slide down on the rail of the stairs.

"Weeee!" I exclaim as I glide down the banister. Then I notice someone walking past... right when I'm about to run out of rail.

"W-watch out!" I yelp as I slide into the air. The blonde at the bottom look up at me as I descend. Seeing that it was a short notice, I didn't exactly give him the time to move out of the way

OOF!

"Ow!" the person exclaims with me piling across his back.

"S-sorry!" I hastily sit up next to him.

"Isaac!" A boy with spiky green hair rushes over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ponte." The blonde-haired boy sits up and states but he isn't at all upset with me. "And be careful of where you're going."

"I'm so sorry!" I apologize again, clapping my hands together with my head facing the floor.

"It's fine." The boy laughs lightly, waving it off. "By the way, I'm Isaac Newton."

"I'm Kate Hitomi." We exchange handshakes.

"The one standing over there is Ponte Salvador." Isaac motions to the boy standing. I nod and greets him with a wave, he mirrors the same motion in return.

"I'm surprised that anyone gets up this early in the morning – except for me, Ponte, and one other person." Isaac remarks.

"Really?" I tilt my head, wondering what people could do so early in the morning. "Why are you guys up so early?"

"Mr. Kincaid gave me permission to do free study anytime I want," Isaac explains. "And I was just about to help Ponte with his studies, until you came sliding down the rails."

"Oh! So you're the smart boy I heard about from Rhythmi!" I point earning me strange looks from him and Ponte.

"Anyways, we have to go," Isaac states, finally standing up. "See you sometime."

"Later," Ponte says, following after Isaac down the halls.

"Bye." I wave at the two.

"Hitomi?" I hear a familiar voice. Turning towards the staircase, I see Kellyn standing halfway down. What is he... then it hit me.

"Oh. So you're the 'one other person' that wakes up early." I mumble. I should've known...

"Why are you sitting there on the floor?"

"You know, I just decided to rest here and it's so comfortable and all that I didn't want to get up." I joke while rolling my eyes halfway. He shakes his head, clearly not amused by my lame joke.

"Funny." he returns with sarcasm. "That would probably work on Keith but not me. Don't tell me you just so happen to slide down the banister but didn't land on your feet."

I start at him, dumbfounded. How... just how is he making such accurate assumptions?!

Kellyn place a hand on his face and shakes his head. "I didn't think that was the case..."

"So?" I retort, pushing myself up on one knee.

"You're too predictable," Kellyn sighs. "you need to work on that... Did it hurt?"

"What hurt?"

"Your fall."

"Um, no, why?"

"Shouldn't you feel a least a bit of pain from falling?" Kellyn asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Oh! Right!" I rub my behind. "Ow..."

"You just felt it now?" Kellyn sweatdrops. "You are very absentminded."

"It didn't hurt that much, since I landed on top of Isaac's back!" I pout.

"So you met Newton?"

"Yep, and Ponte too," I reply. "They went off to study. Do you always wake up this early?"

"Yeah, because of Keith's snoring," he says casually, finally descending the flight of stairs to where I am. "But most of us are used to it by now."

"O-oh..?" If someone snored near me... I wouldn't get a wink!

"You need to think about things before you act."

"Eheheh..." I scratch the back of my head.

...

Today, class was over early, so I head out, but instead of going back to the dorms, I end up in the library. I don't even know how I got here, I wasn't paying attention. But since I'm here, I might as well grab a book and study, since I missed most of what Ms. April was talking about. I read through page after page about capturing and different types of Poké-Assists, but I can't find it in myself to stay awake. The silent library is too inviting for me. I cross my arms on the table, using them as pillows, and doze off, with the book still in one of my hands, facing away from my face.

I wake up about two hours later. I slowly lift my head up, rubbing my eyes and yawning at the same time. My blurry vision focuses, and I see someone across from me.

"Oh, hi Kellyn," I say, a bit absentmindedly.

"Hey," he greets back, not taking his eyes off of the book he's reading.

"What are you..." I look closely at the book and realize that it's the one I was reading before I fell asleep. "Uh..."

"What?"

"I was reading that." I point to the green book.

"How does one read a closed book that's not even in front of their face with their eyes closed?" he says, sounding a bit amused. His eyebrow is arched, but he's still looking at the book. I mentally hit my head.

Right... I closed the book when I fell asleep... Damn it! Why does he have to word it like that?! It's like he always have a way of saying these things, especially to me!

"Um... well, I was, um, simply running through the pages in my mind so, um, I could memorize them...?"

He closes the book. "A nice excuse, but I know you were sleeping. Keith and Rhythmi tried to wake you, but you wouldn't budge. You told them that they were Zubat and to go away."

My face lights up red. "I what...?"

"You heard me." He places his head on his hand and leans on his elbow, staring at me with a dull face. "At least you didn't snore like Keith does every time he's in here."

"Um... Why are you here?" I ask, changing the subject while pulling on my shirt collar, still red in the face.

"Because people read in a library." Giving me the obvious answer. Of course.

"But why at this table? There are plenty of other empty seats," I elaborate.

"You're sitting in the one I usually sit in," he counters.

"Oh," I say in monotone. "S-sorry, I'll just..." Then I start getting up.

He sighs and picks up the book again. "Forget it."

"O-okay...?" I blink and sit back down. After a moment of staring into space, something comes into my mind.

"Hey, Kellyn."

"Hm?"

"When's the unit test?" I ask, faintly remembering Ms. April saying something about it but I can't quite grasp the entire thing.

"Tomorrow." My eyes widen at his causal answer and I bolt up, slamming the table with both hands.

"TOMORROW?!" Everyone in the library stares me down since I was so loud and they turn into glaring ones.

"Yeah, Ms. April said it a few days ago," he says in monotone. "I guess you were half-asleep again."

I grab a fist full of hair in panic. "HOLY CRAP!"

Everyone stares me down again for ruining the brief quietness but I didn't pay then any attention since I'm too wrapped up in my problem.

"Kellyn! Gimme that book!" I snatch it out of his hands before he can even answer. I skim through the pages, finding that I already knew this stuff.

Weird...

"Hitomi, calm down," he says. When I ignore him, he takes the book from me.

"I was only joking."

" You- W-what...?" I choke. "J-joking...?"

"Don't you remember? We already took it."

"W-we... wait, wha?" I'm getting more confused. How can I have taken a test but not even rememb- Oh. It's faint, but I think I remember now.

"Right..." I say and then glare at Kellyn. "Hajime, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"About the test? Kinda, just wanted to see your reaction," he says airily. I fall off my chair, as if to add insult to injury (or would it be the other way around?), but I get back up.

"Very funny," I say sarcastically. I stretch, and for once, I feel fine.

"Welp, I'm off," I say, then start running out of the library, suddenly feeling that the library isn't the ideal place to be anymore. I'm not paying attention to where I am going, so I bump into someone... someone that I would NEVER want to meet in the hallways.

"Kate!" I hear Kellyn call me and run over to me. I guess he followed me out, but I didn't realize the he is calling me by my name instead of my surname.

"Well, well, what's this?" comes the sneering of a certain tyrannical teacher.

"Eep! M-Mr. Kincaid!" I squeak, my hair standing on end.

"You two do know that running in the school is prohibited, correct?"

I nod.

"Well then, do you know the consequences of breaking a rule?"

I shake my head. His mouth turns into a wide smirk.

"Hitomi, Hajime, you two, will be cleaning this entire school, by hand, and you will finish by the end of today." I feel like I've been sucked into a black hole.

"W-what..?"

"You heard me, and you won't be doing anything else until you're done." He snaps, then hands Kellyn and I a bucket and towel each. Then he leaves, smirking in triumph. My mouth is still agape at this sudden scenario, Kellyn standing quietly next me.

"I-I-I'm sorry..." I apologize solemnly.

"Again, Hitomi, you never think about the results, do you?"

"I guess not," I reply, giving him a solemn smile.

Kellyn sighs. "Well, let's get going."

"Huh?" I look at him stupidly. "You're not mad, or annoyed?"

He looks over his shoulder. "What's done is done."

His poker face... I can never read what he is thinking.

...

"Hitomi, you're going to slip."

"Don't be so silly!" I call out while running, pushing the wet towel on the floor from one side of the school to the opposite side.

"It should go faster this way!" I say, heading towards him. And more fun if I might add. If we're going to clean the school hallways, might as well making it entertaining.

"Urk!" I sweatdrop as my feet slip on the slippery floor and I tumble forward.

"I told-" I tumble onto him before Kellyn can finish and we both go tumbling until we hit a wall.

"Whoops..." is all I can say at the moment.

"Ugh..." he groans slightly in annoyance and pain.

"My head..." I crawl up and rub my head with one eye closed.

"You can say that again." Kellyn uses his elbows to push him up but stops when he sees me facing him. "Mind getting off me now?"

I stare at him, then realize what he means, causing me to turn pink. "S-sorry!"

He tries to not laugh, but it gets out anyways. I look at him in confusion, how could he be laughing after that? Wait... does he ever get pass being annoyed? I never seen him being angry before.

"I have to admit, that was funny!" he laughs, definitely sounding and looking a whole lot different than how he usually is.

I stare blankly, then laugh too. I think I like this Kellyn better.

"Kate? Kellyn?" a familiar voice says. We stop laughing and look up to see Keith and Rhythmi. "What are you guys doing?"

"She got in trouble with Mr. Kincaid and I was dragged along with her." Kellyn thumbs to me. "So now we have to clean the entire school by hand by the end of today."

They sweatdrop. "Holy..." Keith says, flabbergasted.

"Didn't know you could get into that much trouble a few weeks into school," Rhythmi muses.

"Eheheh..." I stick a bit of my tongue out while scratching the back of my head sheepishly. "it's not like i mean anything by it. All of them were just accidents!"

"Mind if we join?" Keith asks out of the blue.

"Huh?" I widen my eyes.

"You guys seemed like you were having fun by the way you were laughing!" Keith grins. "And you managed to make Kellyn laugh too! That's rare even for me! Yeah, Kellyn we saw."

I look at the said person when Keith addressed to him but he didn't look amused.

"Besides, what are friends for?" Rhythmi smiles.

I nod with a smile. "Thanks!"

The others keep laughing at me because I slip so many times while cleaning to floor with a towel. After so many slips, I've had enough, and I throw my towel at Keith's face in anger because he's the one that keeps calling me a klutz.

"Hey!" He takes it off his face and throws it back at me, but I duck and it hits Rhythmi instead.

"Keith..." Rhythmi growls as Keith laughs hard. She throws it back as hard as she can throw but he ducks and the towel flies... to Kellyn. Fortunately, it doesn't knock him down.

We all look at him, Keith seeming very nervous, as Kellyn takes the wet towel off his face, a shadow hiding his eyes.

"Kellyn... s-sorry!" Keith blanches. I wonder if something is going to happen.

"Would. You. Guys." Kellyn's voice trembles with fury, and we can only cower under his dark aura. He throws the towel at what seems like light-speed. "STOP FROLICKING AROUND?!"

Now... that's something. Looks the question I had before has been answered.

The towel speeds past Keith, who barely dodges it, and hits me as hard as a rock. I fall down with a loud THUMP! and my head starts to hurt from the impact.

"Kate!" Rhythmi squeaks and quickly comes towards me, taking the towel off of my face to reveal my swirling eyes.

"Torchic are everywhere..." I say, not entirely consciously. I look up to see three blurry faces, all looking worried – at least, I think they are.

"Kate!" The three faces call simultaneously.

"Huh...?" I blink, my sight coming into focus. I see Rhythmi, Keith, and Kellyn looking over me with worry. I slowly get up and lean on my hand.

"I'm okay..." I rub my head.

"Sorry," Kellyn apologizes meekly. "That wasn't meant for you."

"That was too close..." Keith relaxes. Kellyn glares at him, which makes tense Keith up. I did not know Kellyn could be like that.

"It's fine!" I wave it off. "Let's finish this quickly!"

The other three agree, and we get back to work but I have to say, it is an interesting day.


	4. Chapter 4 - Misjudgement

Chapter 4

_Updated: 1/19/15_

* * *

"Class, do you know what today is?" Ms. April queries of the class.

"OUTDOOR CLASS!" all the students cheer, except for the usual. I can tell Keith is especially excited for today.

"That's right! We will be having a guest speaker to talk to everyone today at Ascension Square!" Ms. April informs. "So let's all head over there!"

We follow Ms. April to the Square and see someone with an afro and a red jacket uniform standing in front of the Pledge Stone. He waves excitedly at us. All of the students surround him with enthusiastic and admiring looks.

"Hello everyone!" he greets us with a grin. "My name is Crawford Meno, and this is my partner Budew!"

"Bu Budew!" The grass Pokémon chirps.

"I graduated from this school, and I'm now a ranger in Vientown!" he says as everyone admires him.

"Hello Crawford, it's been a while since I last saw you, but I could never forget how much trouble you cause me!" Ms. April smiles brightly.

"Heheheh!" He returns with a sheepish laugh. "Well... yeah but that's in the past. I'm a whole new leaf now!"

"We'll see," Ms. Aprils says before turning to all of us. "It's time for the Questions and Answers event, everyone can each ask Mr. Meno a question, and he will do his best to answer!"

"Aw, only one?" Keith says, disappointed.

"He has over forty questions that he wants to ask," Rhythmi whispers to me, and we giggle. Everyone takes turns asking Crawford questions and he answers them. Some are personal, some informative, and some are just plain funny. The only ones that don't ask a question are Kellyn and I. I don't know about him, but I can't think of a question that hasn't already been asked. In the middle of one, Crawford receives a call on his Styler.

"One second," he says to us, then answers the voice call.

"Hello, this is Barlow! Do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear."

"There is a Mantine hurt on the eastern shore side of School Island! Apparently, it ran into a cargo ship. Luana is heading your way by boat as we speak," the man on the other side of the voice call informs, rather loudly. "Head over there immediately! We will need your help!"

"Roger, Leader!" He turns it off and does a pose. "I'm on my way, Mantine!"

Everyone admires him for what he was doing. He turns to the principal apologetically.

"Sorry, I will have to cut this short!"

"No need to apologize! A Ranger's job is always important." He then looks to the dock. "Besides, is that your boat?"

We turn to see a white boat heading towards the school's dock. A girl in a Ranger uniform comes out, hands going up to cup her mouth.

"Crawford! Let's hurry!" she calls out.

"Alright students, keep doing your best, and I hope to meet some of you again!" With that, he dashes off and jumps onto the boat. It moves swiftly out to sea and disappears in seconds.

"That. Was. So. Cool!" Keith yells, star struck.

"Well, everyone, that certainly was the shortest outdoor class ever, but it was realistic and exciting!" Ms. April comments. "Now, let's all head back to our classrooms!"

Everyone groans but starts heading back anyways, except us four.

"Alright! Now I'm even more fired up on becoming a Ranger!" Keith says, putting a fist in front of him with a fire in his eyes.

"I'll definitely try my hardest to become an Operator!" Rhythmi chirps.

"I'm not going to lose either!" Keith says. "Especially since I have Kellyn and Kate as my rivals!"

Kellyn nods but I blank out. "Whuh?" I say, snapping out of my daze, making Keith fall.

"Were you even listening to a word we said?!"

"S-sorry!" I apologize, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Okay... maybe not Kate," he deadpans.

"Keith, don't be so mean!" Rhythmi smacks him on the back of his head. He almost falls, but he manages to stay on his toes and balance himself. He didn't seem to mind Rhythmi as he continues to grin.

"I know! Let's make a pledge together at the Pledge Stone. A pledge that we will achieve our dreams!" he suggests.

"That's a great idea!" Rhythmi compliments. "How about it, you two?"

We agree and make a pledge to make our dreams a reality.

"I'm going to be the best Top Ranger ever!" Keith pipes first. "Just you wait!"

"You forgot about us Dazzle," I laugh and Kellyn nod to agree with me.

Keith places his hands behind his hand and smirks. "I welcome any kind of competition so bring it!"

Rhythmi sighs with her hands on her hips. "You're too cocky for your own good..." She then smiles slyly. "But I'll wipe that smirk off your face after I become a Top Operator, I'll be the one to boss you around so you better get used to it!"

"As if," Keith scoffs, glaring at the blonde. "No one tells the Great Top Ranger Keith what to do."

Our pledge made, we head back to class.

Later that night, I write down what happened today so I can send it to my sister.

* * *

There is a little commotion today in class.

"Hey Kellyn, where's Keith?" Rhythmi asks, noticing the empty desk next to her. He shrugs in reply.

"Don't know, he headed out the dorms before me, which is a first." Then the class door slides open and Mr. Kincaid comes in.

"Sorry to disrupt, Ms. April," he says strangely polite. "But I would like to discuss something with Mr. Dazzle."

"Oh, well... Keith is running late today," she answers placing a hand on her chin in thoughtfulness. "Though that is very unlike him."

Now that I think about it, Keith's never been late to class despite him hating school and sleeping through it. So it would be strange for him to skip out today.

"Late?" Mr. Kincaid arches an eyebrow but smirk nonetheless. "You see, we have a little problem. We have had a number of Stylers stolen from the staff room today, and I have already confirmed the innocence of my students regarding this matter."

"Mr. Kincaid!" Isaac butts in. "I'm sure there is some misunderstanding, Keith can't be the culprit!"

"Are you assuming that Keith stole them?" Ms. April arches her own eyebrow.

"Well, he is uncharacteristically absent today of all days... Don't you think that is too much of a coincidence?"

"Mr. Kincaid!" Rhythmi stands up, her chair scraping along the floor, and confronts him. "Keith is a prankster, but he is not a thief!"

"I assure you," Mr. Kincaid says sternly, "his rule-breaking and trouble-making personality makes him the most suspicious."

"Mr. Kincaid, do you have any physical proof of Keith's doings?" Ms. April challenges. Not waiting for an answer, she continues, "May I have a little time? I'm going to look for Keith and clear this misunderstanding up."

"Ms. April!" Kellyn and I stand up. "Let us help as well!"

We stare stare at each other, surprised that we said it in unison or rather, I'm surprise that he said anything at all.

"I want to help too!" one of the other students says.

"Me too!"

A few seconds later, we're all standing up and walking to Ms. April.

"We're going to prove Keith's innocence!" Rhythmi says in determination. Kellyn and I nod in agreement. Mr. Kincaid grimaces, looking from face to face, then stomps out while mumbling something along the line of 'brats these days are too friendly with each other.'

"Alright everyone, guess class is postponed today," Ms. April says. "Let's search the school for any sign of Keith!"

We comply and walk out.

"I want to help as well," Issac states. "Even though he annoys me when he sleeps in the library, I do think of him as a friend."

Rhythmi smiles. "We all do, even if he has his bad points."

...

We split up to search up and down the school, Kellyn and I partnering up, but nothing is found.

"Kate! Kellyn!" Rhythmi runs to us as we search, waving a green Styler. "Janice says she found it in the school yard!"

We follow her and see another one in the middle of the school yard, then another at the stairs leading down from the yard.

"These must be the missing Stylers!" Rhythmi exclaims.

"Hm..." Kellyn puts a hand on his chin, thinking.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" a loud voice screams suddenly.

"That voice!" I recognize it as Keith's.

"It sounds like Keith's!" Rhythmi recognizes it too. "Let's go check!"

We head down the stairs and see Keith cornering a suspicious looking man.

"Keith?!" Rhythmi exclaims in astonishment. "What are you doing here? And who is that man?"

"Guys!" he says, noticing us, then points to the man. "He's the one that stole all the Stylers in the staff room! I saw him lurking around, so I chased after him!"

"S-s-stay away f-from m-me!" the man stammers, running into a tree. Then a Slakoth drops onto him from the collision.

"AHHH!" the man screams, running around as if the Pokemon is trying to chomp his head off. "Get it off me!"

"It's just a Slakoth," I state.

"It's trying to kill me!"

Rhythmi sighs. "Someone should get that Slakoth off him so he can explain."

"Why would we even help a guy like him?" Keith complains. Rhythmi pulls on Keith's ear.

"Because a Ranger's job is to help everyone in need!" she chastises after wrestling Keith to the ground.

She asks Kellyn and I to do it, but I kinda space out again. Kellyn sighs.

"I'll do it." He takes out his Styler and aims it at the running target.

"Capture on!" He releases the disc and guides it to the moving Slakoth, making slashing movements. A solid circle appears around Slakoth, then closes in on it in a flash of light.

"Capture complete." He clicks the disc back into place when it returns to him. I'm amazed that he could capture such a fast-moving target so calmly – not that the Slakoth is fast at all. The man was frantically running around, apparently fearing for his life at the hands of the savage Slakoth. With the capture complete, the Slakoth calms down and lets go of the man, then goes back up the tree. Very slowly. We surround the man so he has nowhere to go.

"So," Keith raps his hand with his fist in a menacing way. "Start talking."

"What's going on?" a voice asks. We look behind us to see Ms. April hurrying over to us.

"You all disappeared, so I got worried," Ms. April says, a little upset. "Oh, Keith! And... the Stylers!"

"Sorry Ms. April, but we found who stole them!" Rhythmi says, pointing to the man, who is shaking in fear.

"Why did you steal them?" Keith asks the man, looking menacingly at him. He starts explaining how he had always dreamed of being a Pokémon Ranger, but he never had the chance to make it come true, along with other things he wanted to do but never accomplished. Then he explains how he couldn't resist the Stylers in the staff room, thinking that if he had one, then he could become a Ranger. Ms. April is both shocked and angry at his words.

"If you have a dream, then you shouldn't let go of it!" she says. "You should go home and reflect on your actions! And think how you could become a Ranger properly!"

"Y-y-you're l-letting me g-go?!" he says, startled. "W-without any p-punishment?! I-I can't b-believe it... T-thank y-you," he snivels.

"Come," Ms. April says, after seeing the man off. "We'll explain what happened."

We follow her to the staff room and explain what happened to both Principal Lamont and Mr. Kincaid.

"Ah! So that is what happened during my absence!" the principal exclaims. "I'm relieved that no one got hurt!"

"So, Mr. Kincaid," Ms. April turns to the grumbling man, "it looks like your suspicion was wrong."

Then she turns to us. "Anyways, I am impressed by Rhythmi's belief and trust in her friend! That is one of the essential qualities of an Operator!"

"Yeah, Rhythmi! Thanks for believing in me!" Keith grins.

Rhythmi blushes slightly at the compliments.

"And Kellyn, your teamwork and capture performance was outstanding!" Ms. April smiles. "I could tell right away by that smile on Slakoth's face!"

"Thank you, Ms. April," Kellyn says.

"And Keith." She turns to him and scowl. "You are too reckless, and must rely more on your colleagues. There is only much that a Ranger can do alone."

Keith grumbles and looks down.

"That said, you did do a good deed... Are you paying attention?"

"Yes..." he mutters.

"How will you be part of the Poké-athlon at this rate..."

"What?" We look at Ms. April with confusion – well, except Kellyn. He's calm about everything.

"Every year there is a Poké-athlon event where Ranger Schools from far and wide compete," Ms. April explains. "This year, it is our turn to host it, and it will be in the Vien Forest. And I hoped that you guys would participate."

"Re-really?!" Keith exclaims out of excitement.

"Of course, I will explain more tomorrow in class."

Principle Lamont then rambles on about darkness lurking in our hearts and about how we shined brightly today and must never lose that light.

"Okay, it's time for us to get back to class," Ms. April states.

Yeah... they all shone brightly... I look at my three friends as they start walking. I didn't do anything...

I look down and clench my hands into fists.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Whuh?" I look up to see Kellyn next to me. "Y-yeah... I'm fine!"

I give him a fake smile.

I write down the events of today and give it to a Pelipper at the window. I received my sister's reply from last time and it made me happy. My family is moving to the Almia region soon! They just need to find a house.

The next morning, I wake up, tired.

"Good morning, Kate!" Rhythmi greets, sticking her head down from her bunk to mine.

"Morning!" I wave. I get dressed, tie my hair back into my usual spiky twin-tails, and we head down for class. We start off with the usual "good mornings" to Ms. April.

"Class, this year, our school will be hosting the Poké-athlon!"

"Poké-athlon?"

"Really?"

"Awesome!"

"This event is hosted by different schools every year and this year, it is our turn," Ms. April explains. "It will be a team effort." She looks sternly at Keith. "But, only three students per school are allowed to enter."

"Only three?" one of the students asks.

"Yes, the staff will decide who will go by having a test for all the students," several groans sound here, "but it will be an obstacle course," Ms. April adds, assuring us that it is not a written test.

The class whispers in excitement.

"It will be in a week or two, and it will take place in Vien Forest," Ms. April informs. "So, you will have time to train, however, keep in mind that there will be other schools participating as well."

The Poké-athlon is now the talk of the entire school. In a few days, the test takes place, and we all gather outside.

"Alright, everyone!" Principal Lamont says into a microphone. "This is the course which you will be tested in."

He shows us the course, which contains tracks, obstacles, and cliffs. "We will be timing each student who wishes to participate, and the three fastest will enter the Poké-athlon!" All the students cheer, and the first set of students to go line up at the starting line. A whistle blast sends them off. We are send up five at a time and when I came to my turn, I hurry to the starting line.

The first obstacle that appear when we start are four feet high trapezoidal boxes place in our path. With the momentum that I gain with run, I place a hand on the flat surface and haul myself over with without touching the surface - other than my hand that is.

Next, Bidoof scurries around and attacking us. I quickly capture on of them to defend against the others. Once I made it over, I thank Bidoof for his help. There are several more that requires me to use Target Clears and Poke Assists.

The most difficulty I have is the rock climbing section where I literally have to climb up a cliff side that is located up north of the school ground - with no climbing gears if I may add.

All in all, it wasn't that challenging but tedious, the course drain me of my stamina right after. Once everyone finishes, the principal steps back up to the front of the crowd with his microphone.

"Okay, everyone!" Principal Lemont announces."Everyone's gone, and we have the results! The three students that will be representing our school at the Poké-athalon are..."

"Our fastest student was Kellyn Hajime!"

"Keith Dazzle, with the second-fastest time..."

"And finally, Kate Hitomi!"

"Alright!" Keith fist-pumps the air.

"Congratulations! I knew you guys would make it!" Ms. April holds out three badges with the school crest. "You will wear these during the competition to let everyone know that you are representing our school!"

"Thanks, Ms. April!" we say together, taking one badge each.

"Can't wait to see you guys out there!" Rhythmi exclaims.

"Remember, it will be next week so be prepared! We will be watching you guys from afar." Ms. April smiles.

"We will!"


	5. Chapter 5 - Pokeathlon

Chapter 5

_Update: 1/28/15_

* * *

"Hello everyone! I am Lilian, and I will be announcing during the Poké-athlon!" the lady says into a microphone in front of the camera. Fireworks are launched into the air. "As you know, it's time for the annual Poké-athlon between Ranger Schools! And again, it will be broadcast, region-wide!"

"Wait, what?!" I say, startled as I listen to Lilian explain. There is a screen behind her showing all of the teams in turn.

"You didn't know?" Rhythmi shows me one of the pamphlets.

"O-oh..." I sweatdrop after reading it. "And we have to finish with everyone in the team present?"

"Yep!" Rhythmi replies.

"Well... never heard that before," I say blankly.

"So, you ready?" a familiar voice asks from behind.

"Yeah." We look to see Keith and Kellyn walking towards us, wearing the school crest like me.

"We'll begin shortly!" Lilian announces.

"Looks like it's about to start!" Keith grins.

"This will be a round-trip around Vien Forest. Each school's team will stop at three checkpoints while overcoming obstacles. At each checkpoint, there will be someone giving you a stamp on your card that each team should've received upon entering. At the third and last checkpoint, you will receive a crest each in exchange for the stamped card. Bring that back to the finish," Lilian explains. "Make sure to not get lost, though, or it won't be easy to find your way back! Student Rangers may capture Pokémon along the way to assist them to their goals. Everyone on the team must be present upon finishing. Cameras will be following them high in the air so that we can observe the students' actions and safety!"

I gulp when she says there will be cameras. Looks like it's time to make myself a laughingstock for the whole Almia to watch.

"It will be over once everyone has safely come back to the finish line, and remember, violence among the teams is prohibited," Lilian says. "Let's have the participants head over to the starting point!"

The camera points to the starting point, displaying it on the screen. I start to get nervous.

"Don't worry, you will be too focused on the goal to be distracted by cameras!" Rhythmi comforts. "I'll be watching from here!"

"I guess," I say. I wave goodbye as we head for the starting point.

"Are you guys ready?" Ms. April is the one starting this course. "On the whistle, one, two..."

She blows the whistle loudly to signal the start.

"EAT OUR DUST!" Keith screams as he and Kellyn take off at the front of the pack. I have a rocky start, and everyone sprints quickly past me, leaving dust for me to cough in.

"KEITH! KELLYN! WAIT!" I call from the dust with a hint of exasperation, then sprint to catch up to them. I catch up, then see some Tauros grazing on some grass.

"Let's get help from the Tauros to make things go faster!" Keith calls out; we all nod.

"Capture on!" I guide my disc, while running, to encircle one of the Tauros. I made slashing movements, and my disc creates a solid circle. Making more circles and slashes, the circle encases the Tauros in a flash of light.

"Capture complete!" I return the disc and click it into the Styler. "Tauros!"

Tauros hears my my call and runs to me.

"Let's go, Tauros!" It dashes in the direction I guide it to. The six of us get to the first checkpoint in a matter of minutes, and Keith, Kellyn, and I hop off.

"Thanks, Tauros!" It smiles and leaves.

We head to the man behind the booth. He gives us a Poké-athlon stamp on our card.

"Alright! Next one!" Keith exclaims and we're off again, deeper into the forest.

"WAH!" I call suddenly after the ground below my feet turns into a hole.

"Kate?" Keith and Kellyn say together.

"Why is there a hole in the middle of nowhere?!" I shout.

"Wow, I can't believe you fell for that!" Keith laughs. "Are you an idiot or what?"

"..." My eye twitches. I'll kill him when I get the chance.

"Hold on," Kellyn says, then leaves briefly, before coming back with a Bulbasaur and having it pull me out using its vines.

"Thanks!" I say after getting out, and we continue on.

"WOAH!"

"Keith?" Kellyn and I look to see him stuck in another hole. We sweatdrop.

"So who's the idiot now?" I deadpan.

"Just get me out of here!" Keith shouts. Lucky, Bulbasaur is still with us, so we get Keith out quickly.

"Man! That hurts!" Keith exclaims, rubbing his behind.

"We'll have to be careful from now on," I say. The other two nod, then we continue on our path. After dodging falling boulders – seriously, isn't this dangerous for a student?! – falling into more holes, and calming down some angry Pokémon, we get to our next check point... near a really high cliff with a straight path and a twisty path.

"I hope... we don't have to climb that?"

"Okay, let's take a shortcut!" Keith says.

"S-Shortcut...?" I repeat, my eyes becoming dots.

"It's already late in the day, so we need to hurry." Keith points to the cliff that I was looking at. "We'll climb that!"

"Are you serious?!" I exclaim. The other two have already started heading towards it.

"What do you think, Kellyn?" Keith asks.

"Better than taking the scenic path," he replies. I sweatdrop.

"You guys are either blockheads, or just crazy," I mutter to myself.

"Then let's go!" Keith grins and then sets off towards the cliff.

"G-guys!" I yell. "Guess I'll have to follow..."

I drag myself to them, then notice they are staring at something.

"What are you guys looking at?"

"Our ride," Kellyn answers.

"Huh?" I stare at the ground as it moves. Out pop a few Dugtrio.

"AHH!" I yelp, falling back.

"This is gonna make it so much easier." Keith smirks. "Let's capture them!"

We nod.

"Capture on!" I guide my disc to one of them, encircling them. Making circular and slashing movements, the disc forms the solid circle and encases them in a flash of light. "Capture complete!"

We hold onto the Dugtrio and they use Rock Climb. Once we get up, we thank the Dugtrio for the lift. From the top, we see a beautiful landscape.

"So pretty!" I say, amazed.

"No time for sightseeing! Let's get going!" Keith says.

"Can't we rest for just a bit?" I ask with a hint of exhaustion.

"No. It will be a great time to leave everyone else far behind!" Keith replies, pointing to the people down the way we came as they make it to the second check point. Since I can find no way to argue with these guys, we head into the forest, hopping down one ledge, then another. We're sliding down a rather long one when I notice a movement. Before I can react, something flashes our way.

"Look out!" I push Kellyn away and take the hit.

"AH!" It was a Pokémon attack. It hits me, making me tumble down and down.

"KATE! KELLYN!" I hear Keith scream, but it gets more and more distant.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!" I yelp as I tumble down through thorn bushes, but just as I see a boulder that I'm about to make contact with, someone grabs hold of me. I take hold of the person tightly as we slide to a stop.

"Uhhmmm..." This time it isn't just Torchic running around, but Spearow as well. I'm just so dizzy from all of the tumbling. Then I open one of my eyes.

"How long are you going to hold on to me?" a familiar voice asks. I open the other eye and look up to see Kellyn with is raising an eyebrow. "And is my catching you when you fall going to be occurring frequently now?"

Realizing I'm holding onto him, I turn red and let go.

"Waahhhh!" I don't have any way to keep myself from falling now, so I swing my arms up and down for a few moments before falling down. "K-K-Kellyn?!"

"Who else would I be?" He replied with sarcasm.

"T-thanks," I say and then point at him. "But how did you get here?"

"What were you thinking when you did that?" He frowns, ignoring my question and pushing my hand away.

"Heh...?" I say blankly.

"... Nevermind." He turns away. "Just don't do it again."

"What...?" I use one of my knees to push myself up, my entire body aching in pain. "Ow..."

"Do you sense that?" Kellyn asks suddenly. I do; it's that weird vibe I got in the basement a while ago.

We look around, and I meet red eyes staring at me. I gulp as something comes out of the shadows.

"Dus... dusk..." it says in monotone. Okay, so I know Dusknoir have red eyes, but this red is different than normal – there doesn't seem to be any life in them. And Dusknoir shouldn't be out in the day... This is weird.

"H-hi..." I greet, hoping it's friendly... But of course it's not. It blasts a Shadow Ball at me.

"GAH!" I jump out of the way, but I don't land on my feet, instead, I faceplant onto the ground.

"Kate!"

"I'm fine." I stand back up and aim my Styler at it.

"Capture on!" I let my disc fly out and head towards the Dusknoir. I make slashing movements, trying to make the disc create a solid ring around Dusknoir, but... nope. It disappears and suddenly reappears behind me, hitting me with one of its other attacks. I fall from the hit, lose my concentration on the disc, and the beginnings of the ring disappear.

"Tch." I try again, sending the disc back at Dusknoir, but it disappears and hits me again. I back flip to avoid getting hit, but in the process, the ring I made disappears again. I get annoyed as I try again, but this time, Dusknoir uses one of its attack at the ring my disc is making.

"Argh!" I feel an electric current surging up the Styler, and it goes on the fritz. Dropping it, I watch as it breaks.

"..."

"Kate!"

"Huh?" The familiar voice rings through my ears. I look up to see the Dusknoir launching a Thunder Punch at me. Kellyn steps in front of me and blocks it with his arms – somehow. That had to hurt...

"Don't just stand there!" he shouts, managing to push the Dusknoir back. How strong is he? The Pokémon is about to come at us again, though, and I'm not sure-

BOOM!

"What's go- Argh..." My vision goes briefly blurry, and I drop down, holding on to my arm. In a distance, I can see smoke, but no fire. The Dusknoir in front of us stops, and its eyes go back to normal.

"Dusk? Dusknoir?" it says, looking around, confused, then teleports away.

"Are you okay?" Kellyn comes and kneels down by me.

"Um..." I try to find an answer, but I can't. I look around and spot my Styler, broken.

How did that happen...?

"Um, yeah. I'm fine," I reply. Do I have some kind of short-term memory disorder?

He looks at me, then pats my head. "You better not be lying."

"I'm not," I say. I don't think I am. "Is your arm okay?" I'm not quite sure why I ask that. I just know I need to.

"Yeah." He then heads over to pick my broken Styler up and gets working on it. I watch tensely as he does that. He fixes it quick.

"Wow! I get it now!"

He looks at me with one eyebrow raised.

"S-sorry, remember the other time that you had to fix the Styler for me?, I wanted to know how it worked, so I tinkered with it. I do it a lot," I say, scratching the back of my head. "But I usually break whatever it is the first time I mess with it."

"So that's how you broke it the first time?"

"Eheheh..." I reply, sticking a bit of my tongue out.

"Here." Kellyn hands me the repaired Styler.

"Thanks!" I take it from his hands.

"Well, at least when I tinker with things, I don't end up breaking them," Kellyn teases.

"You didn't have to say that, Mr. Genius," I pout. He chuckles.

"Ow!" I suddenly realize how much pain I'm in.

"I thought you said were you okay?"

"Whatever!" I turn my head away and pout.

"Anyways, if you can walk, then let's not waste anymore time." Kellyn changes the subject.

I stare up at him before asking him something. "What about Keith?"

"I told Keith to catch up, and if he doesn't see us, then he'll continue on."

"But it's getting dark... Isn't he going to get scared?"

He puts a hand on his chin. "You do have a point..."

* * *

Keith's POV

The sun's setting, that means... It's going to be dark.

"Oh boy..." I say nervously, pulling at my collar. "I gotta catch up to those guys."

* * *

Kate's POV

We go into a cave and a flock of Zubat and Golbat suddenly fly in our direction. Kellyn puts an arm in front of him, as if to shield himself, and I tense up, but I don't yell or do anything else. After they pass, Kellyn takes his hand away from his face.

"Are you okay?" he asks, seeing me all stiff with widened eyes.

"Yeah..." I say, shaken, then take a deep breath and relax. "But I've been better."

"At least you were better than the first time."

We have to calm down some Pokémon by capturing them, since we disturb their sleep. Then, somehow, we get onto a narrow pathway and have to walk sideways to keep from falling into the abyss below.

"Who was the crazy one who came up with a course like this?!" I mutter. "Isn't this a bit too dangerous for students to take on?!"

Despite my words, I'm not careful enough, and the rock under one of my feet crumbles.

"WAH!" I yelp as I begin to fall, but I stop. I look up to see that Kellyn has grabbed my wrist. We then work together to get me back up onto the ledge.

"T-too close for comfort!" I gasp. "Thanks, Kellyn!"

This is more of a survival course...

"Be careful of where you step," he cautions, a bit needlessly. I nod. We finally get out of the cave after a while, and it's morning already. We sit down against each others' backs, panting. One of my legs is arched up.

"I thought we would never get out!" I gasp.

"But we did," he replies. "Look."

He points across the lake in front of us to a booth, though it is hard to see since the sun is still rising.

"Let's go then!" I say. We catch our breath, then stand up. We head over to the lake, looking around to see if there is a Pokémon that can help. Moments later, we spot two Floatzel.

"Capture on!" We send out our discs and encircle one each until a flash of light signals the completion of the captures. The Floatzel await us in the water. We climb onto the Floatzel's backs, and they speed us across. Arriving on the opposite side, we thank the Floatzel and wave as they leave.

"GUYS!" We turn our heads to see Keith across the lake. I wave back and shout, "Keith!"

"Told you he would find us," Kellyn says, putting a hand on his waist. We wait 'til he gets to us, then head over to trade our stamps.

"So, how were you and the cave?' I ask bluntly while we walk. Keith flinches.

"Easy peasy!" he says nervously and tries to hold his head up high. I get the feeling that he's lying. We reach the last checkpoint and get the crests.

"Alright!" Keith fistpumps. "Let's get back ASAP!"

"Easier said than done," I sigh. "Do you know how long it took us to get here? It's already morning."

"So?" Keith answers. I smack him on the head with a huge paper fan – don't ask how I got it, even I don't know.

"Will you at least have the decency to think in this situation?" I growl. Someone taps my shoulder, and I whirl around to see Kellyn pointing left. I look in that direction and spot some flying-types perched in some trees.

"We should've just flown here..." I sweatdrop.

"What would be the fun in that?" Kellyn asks.

"...Blockheads," I mutter under my breath.

"Anyways, let's capture them." All three of us nod, launching our Stylers into the sky. We capture three Swellow, and hang onto their talons. Then they give us a lift back. As we get closer to the starting area, we see Ms. April and Rhythmi waving at us from below; I wave back. Once we land, we thank the Swellow for the lift.

"Kate!" Rhythmi tackle-hugs me. "You guys did it!"

"We won?" Keith asks, walking towards us.

"No," Ms. April answers, which makes Keith trip and fall.

"WHHAAAA?!"

"...Unless you show me that you have acquired the crests," Ms. April giggles.

"Oh, right!" The three of us hand her the Poké-athlon crests, and Ms. April gives us a huge smile.

"Let me be the first to congratulate you guys for winning as representatives of Almia's Ranger School!"

"Congratulations!" Rhythmi smiles.

...

Back in my dorm with Rhythmi, I flop onto the bottom bunk of the bed. "I'm so tired!"

"So... What do you think of Keith and Kellyn after pairing up with them?"

I put an arm in front of my face to cover the light from the dorm.

"They're..." I look back on the race. "...Okay, but blockheads."

"What?" Rhythmi asks blankly.

"Nevermind." I wave it off.

"What's your thoughts on Keith?"

"Blockhead."

"Oh? How about Kellyn then?" she continues inquiring.

"Kinda a blockhead and what are you getting at?"

She rolls her eyes. "Who do you like?"

It takes a moment for me to process that and bolt up, not a good idea at all.

THUMP!

"Ow!" I bump my head onto the wood frame of the top bunk. I rub my head as a few tears well up in my eyes.

"W-what are you talking about?!"

"Hm... maybe Kellyn...?" she says, tapping a finger on her cheek. "You two have been talking a lot... even though he's the silent type."

"N-no!" I exclaim, blushing slightly.

"I see, still not ready to admit it," Rhythmi states calmly.

I flop back onto my bed and turn away from her. "I'm going to sleep."

Though the conversation keeps me awake all night, it does allow me to remember that I forgot to write to my little sister. I bolt up at the realization, then get straight to writing.


	6. Chapter 6 - School days end

Chapter 6

_Updated: 1/28/15_

* * *

"Kate!" someone shouts. "Kate!"

"Whuh?" I rub my sleepy eyes and see Rhythmi towering over me.

"Wake up! Don't you know what today is?"

"Today...?" I say absentmindedly. "Oh yeah! The one-day internship!"

"Yep, so hurry and get ready!" Rhythmi chirps.

...

"What took you guys so long?" Keith shouts once we're outside in the school yard.

"Impatient as ever," I sigh.

"We're going to be late if we don't hurry," Kellyn states.

"Fine, fine," I huff, and we head out of the gate.

When we arrive at the bridge, Keith points at a little girl looking frantically around. "Who's that?"

"Let's check it out," I say, and we head over. She has blonde hair like Rhythmi and wears a purple top with a red skirt.

"Are you lost?" I knee down to her level.

"I-I-I c-came t-to v-v-visit my b-big brother b-but I don't know w-where he is!" she stammers with teary eyes. The four of us look at each other.

"Who's your brother?" Rhythmi asks soothingly.

"Melody?" a voice says behind us. We whirl around to see Isaac and Ponte.

"Isaac?" Rhythmi says. "Ponte? You know this girl?"

"BIG BROTHER!" The little girl tackle-hugs Isaac. The blonde boy is taken by surprise, but returns a warm hug.

"I wanted to visit you, but mommy and daddy were never home, so I came here myself!" the little girl cries.

She reminds me of my little sister.

"I know you mean well, but it makes me worry that you might get hurt," he says, then turns to us. "Guys, this is my sister, Melody."

"Hello!" the little girl pipes, calming down.

"Melody, these are my friends: Keith, Rhythmi, Kate, Kellyn, and Ponte."

Each of us greet her one at a time.

"It's great to know that big brother has so many friends!"

"C'mon, let's get you home, my one-day internship is close to there as well."

"Okay!"

We wave good bye to the three.

"Oh shoot!" Keith suddenly shouts. "If we stay here any longer, we're gonna be late to our internships!"

"You're right!" Rhythmi and I exclaim.

"I'm going to be interning at the Ranger Union, so I better get going!" Rhythmi starts to run, then waves back at us. "I'll see you guys later!"

"See you Rhythmi!" We wave to her, then I turn to the other two. "Where to?"

"We'll be at Vientown's Ranger Base," Kellyn answers.

"Let's go, let's go!" Keith exclaims. "I don't want to make a bad impression by being late!"

The three of us dash off and somehow make it into a race.

"I win!" I cheer as we enter Vientown.

"I want a rematch." Keith crosses his arms; he came in last place.

"Let's not waste time on that." Kellyn points to a building with a Ranger sign on it. "We can't be late, remember?"

Keith grumbles, and we enter through the sliding door. It's... empty...

"Helllooo~ Anybody there?" Keith shouts.

"Ah, sorry!" someone answers, which makes me jump.

"I was picking something up, so I didn't see you come in." A lady springs up from behind the counter. "Hello, you must be students coming for the one-day internship!"

We nod.

"Come over here, I have something I have to give you three." We obey, and she hands us a letter and a... basket?

"Sorry that the base is so empty right now, everyone is doing something important."

"What's in the basket?" Keith says, looking at it from all sides and ignoring her.

"Must be really important if the base is this empty," I say. The lady fights hard, trying not to laugh.

"Y-yeah... I-I-I... ca-can't even force myself to describe it!"

"O... kay...?" I reply.

"Anyways, the letter is from the base leader, Barlow, and he has entrusted you three to go on an important mission."

"R-really?" Keith says, now fully paying attention. I take the letter from Keith's hand and open it.

"You've collected the item from me, now you'll just have to go to Breezy Hill."

"Yep, that's what it says," I comment after reading the letter. "I guess we should go."

"YES!" Keith exclaims.

"Miss, could you tell us which way Breezy Hill is?" I ask.

"Go out and head west of Vientown, there will be a beach, head up from there and keep going until you get to a cliff."

"Thanks- wait what?" I my eyes widen. "A cliff?!"

"C'mon Kate! We're going!" Keith pulls on the cuffs of my uniform.

"But-!"

"Good luck!" The lady waves. "Oh, and about the basket: don't look in it, don't swing it, and don't drop it!"

Is there something dangerous in that thing? I cry inwardly. Are we going to die?

...

"Wow~!" My eyes sparkle. "So this is a beach!"

"You've... never been to a beach?" Kellyn asks, looking at me with bewilderment.

"Uh..." I grin sheepishly. "Nope."

Kellyn and I stand side by side, with me fascinated by being at the beach. I then notice a couple, and I make a startled jump.

"Something wrong?"

"Nope! Absolutely not!" I exclaim, burning bright red.

"GUYS! LET'S GO!" Keith screams from afar, swinging the basket around. "WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

"S-sorry!" I yelp and dash for the stairs. We pass by an elderly man with three Pokémon playing with each other, then see a sign that marks Breezy Hill.

"Must be it," Kellyn states.

"I wonder what kinda mission it is!" Keith exclaims.

I just hope it doesn't involve us dying... I panic inwardly thinking about the cliff. Once we arrive at the top, nothing is there except for... a picnic blanket?

"What are we supposed to do now?" I ask.

"Don't know, you're the one that read the letter," Keith answers.

"But that's all it said!" I exclaim. Suddenly, we hear rustling.

"W-what's that?" I squeak. Please don't be a monster, please don't be a monster, please don't be a monster!

"Probably some wild Pokémon," Keith replies calmly with his hands behind his head. Suddenly, I feel a presence behind me and I shiver. I whirl around on reflex, uppercutting the figure and knocking him with a THUMP onto the ground.

"LEADER!" There seems to be about three other voices. I feel a hand on my wrist, so I look over my shoulder.

"Calm down."

"Kellyn?" I snap out from whatever trance I was in, then look at the huge man knocked flat out on the ground. "What happened to him?"

"...You did not just uppercut him up into the air," Keith deadpans. I blink, then start panicking.

"I-I-I"M SOO SORRY!" I bow repeatedly as he is helped up by people in Ranger uniforms.

"Birdies..." the man says airily.

"Wow. I didn't know a girl could do that to Barlow," a familiar voice states. We look and see-

"Crawford?"

"Yo!" He raises his hand in greeting.

"I... did not see that coming..." the huge man groans, standing up with the support of two others.

"I-I'm so sorry!" I exclaim.

"It's fine! Barlow's sustained heavier hits than that!" a lady in a Ranger uniform replies. "It was just unexpected!"

"Guys, this is Luana," Crawford introduces. "The one you just hit is Barlow, he's our base leader, and the other one helping him is Elaine, though she's a Mechanic, not a Ranger."

They all take turns greeting us.

"I'm Keith, hellomeetcha." Keith says nervously and we all stare at him.

"Did you just say... hellomeetcha?" Crawford asks.

"Hahahah! No need to be so nervous!" Barlow chuckles. "And you two?"

"Whuh?" I'm spacing out again.

"She's Kate and I'm Kellyn," Kellyn answers for me.

"So it's the triple K's!" Luana giggles.

"So... What's this about an important mission?" Keith says, leading us back to the topic.

"Oh yeah, did you three bring the item?" Barlow asks. Keith hands him the basket.

"Alrighty everyone! Time for lunch!"

We all stare at them in shock.

"You should see your faces!" Barlow laughs, and proceeds to open the basket. The Ranger team suddenly get incredulous looks on their faces. Barlow trembles with the basket in his hands.

"Boy... Mine wasn't as bad as this..." Luana states.

"Did... you guys... do this?" Barlow asks darkly.

"Uh... s-sorry... t-that was my fault..." Keith raises a nervous hand. Just when I think Barlow is about to explode, someone comes running, shouting at us; it's the guy of the couple that I saw.

"Pokémon Rangers! Please help! We have an emergency!"

"What's the problem?" Barlow asks.

"Pokémon...! On the beach...!" The guy panics about.

"That's all we need to know," Barlow states. "Alright team! An emergency situation occurred, so let's get into action!"

They all do their poses and say, "Roger!"

"You three, come as well!"

"Y-yes sir!" Keith answers, and we follow them down.

...

"H-H-HEEELLLPPPPP!" The lady, who is surrounded by Pokémon, screams.

"Oh dear, oh dear! What has happened to Munchlax, Starly, and Pachirisu!" the elderly man we passed by earlier exclaims in worry. "They've never acted like this!"

"Well... there's a first time for everything," I murmur under my breath.

"Alright team, since there are six Pokémon, we'll take on one each so that it'll be faster!" Barlow commands. "So that means you three as well!"

"Awesome!" Keith fistpumps the air and sprints into action.

"Keith!" I call from behind. Barlow chuckles.

"Can't wait to get into action, eh?" He turns to us. "Let's go!"

Everyone in the group except Elaine goes to help.

"I'll stay here since I can't really do anything!" Elaine calls from the back. Once I get down onto the beach, I notice a Mud Bomb shooting straight at the Pachirisu.

"Look out!" I swing myself at the electric-type Pokémon and tumble onto on knee, barely dodging the attack with Pachirisu in my arms. Of course, the Pokémon is startled by all this and tries to electrocute me.

"YOOOWWWWW!" I screech, letting Pachirisu go. It crouches on all fours, shaking from shock and confusion, but glaring at me. I take out my School Styler.

"Capture on!" I control the disc and loop it around the confused Pachirisu until a solid ring appears and encases it in a flash of light. "Capture complete!"

I click my Styler closed and walk closer to Pachirisu. "Don't be afraid, I'm just trying to help."

"Chupa!" Pachirisu nods happily and hops up to hug me. I laugh. "You're so cute!"

I look back to see everyone else has finished as well. Barlow, Crawford, and Luana caught a Shellos each, Keith caught the Munchlax, and Kellyn caught the Starly.

"Looks like everyone's calmed down the Pokémon!" Barlow says. "So time to release them!"

"Time for you to go back to your friends!" I chirp.

"Chupa..." Pachirisu looks sad and stays by me.

"Huh?" I stare at Pachirisu.

"What's wrong Kate?" Barlow asks. "Did you not learn how to release a Pokémon?"

"N-no...! I did, but this Pachirisu won't go!" I answer, waving my hands in front of me.

"Looks like Pachirisu had taken a liking to you!" Crawford says.

"Huh?" I look at Crawford.

"Thank you so much for saving my girlfriend!" the guy thanks, interrupting us.

"Yes, thank you so much!" The lady bows.

"It's no problem, after all, it is our job!" Barlow answers.

"The Pokémon got riled up when some cargo from a ship smashed onto shore!" the lady explains.

"Munchlax, Starly, Pachirisu!" the elderly man exclaims. "Thank you so much for calming them down!"

"Not a problem!" Barlow turns to us. "You three did pretty good as well!"

"Thanks!" Keith grins.

"I'm sure you will become fine Pokémon Rangers!" Crawford smiles.

"But," Barlow sates, "you guys failed in your mission to deliver the basket safely to us."

We start sweating.

"Did our Operator not tell you: don't open it, swing it, or drop it?"

"Erm..." I think back to when she was talking. "Yeah..."

"Really?" Keith looks at me. "I didn't hear a thing."

"That's because you were already out the door with the basket by the time she said that," Kellyn sighs.

"Oh..." Keith's face turns red.

"Hahahah! It's fine!" Barlow laughs, slapping Keith on the back of his head so hard that he faceplants on the sand. "Anyways, let's clean up after our 'lunch' and go back to base."

Barlow is about to head out, but stops. "You three can go back to the base without us, even though you ruined our prank."

Keith smiles sheepishly. "T-thanks."

...

We talk a little with the Ranger team in the base before heading out. As we are about to cross the bridge, we hear Rhythmi's voice.

"Hey! Wannabe Rangers!" We turn around to see Rhythmi coming towards us. We exchange the stories of our one-day internship with each other and head back to school.

Rhythmi's POV

Kate and Kellyn walk ahead of us, so I tug at Keith and whisper to him.

"Don't you think they look pretty cute together?"

"Eh, sure," Keith replies half-heartedly, which kinda annoys me.

"What are you guys whispering about?" Kate leans over to us.

"N-nothing?"

"You guys are acting like a couple," Kate teases. Keith and I almost fall down.

"WE DO NOT!"

Kate giggles. "You guys are so in sync!"

"Let's go already," Kellyn says at the front gate.

Kate's POV

"Class, it's graduation day! This will be the last time that we will be in this class together!" Ms. April shows us a sad smile, then beams at us. "But I'm happy to have had you all as my students and hope that you will all continue to aim for your dreams!"

"WE WILL!" we exclaim, except for Kellyn, who is bored as usual.

"You have until the bell rings to chat or take a look around the school before the graduation ceremony." With that, everyone separates and goes on their own way. I decide to walk around and take a look at the school.

"I'm going to miss them..." I murmur as I think about Rhythmi, Kellyn, and Keith. We're all going to different places after this... Maybe I should be spending time with them right now...

I'm not paying attention to where I'm going, so I accidentally bump into someone's back and fall on my bottom.

"Ow..." I wince, then look around to see that I somehow managed to get out into the schoolyard.

"Hey Kate."

"Huh?" I look up and see Kellyn. He has a mix of a blank and a startled expression.

"You need any help?" He extends a hand towards me and helps me up.

"T-thanks." I let go and brush the dust off my clothes. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just looking," he answers. "You?"

"Uh... I wasn't paying attention while walking inside and somehow ended up out here..." I turn pink, then see him crack a smile.

"Typical." He chuckles.

"H-hey!" I pout. He puts a hand on my head.

"I'm sure the four of us will see each other again," he says, as if he's reading my mind, though he has been more talkative and kind since I met him. Maybe this is the side of him that no one ever gets to see unless you're close to him.

"Are you a mind reader?" I blurt out.

"There you guys are!" I turn my attention to Rhythmi and Keith, who are walking up to us.

"Guys! I was going to look for you!" I exclaim.

"Were you really?" Rhythmi gives me a sly grin.

"Y-yeah..." I move back a little as Rhythmi leans in.

DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

I sigh in relief. Saved by the bell...

"Let's get going!" Keith says.

We head inside and file up for the graduation ceremony. Issac, the valedictorian, gives his speech to the class.

"Thank you for the wonderful speech Isaac! Now, onto the conferring on the graduation certificates," the principal says.

"I would like to call upon a student as representative of the graduating class." Ms. April smiles. "Kate!"

"M-me?!" I say, startled.

"Whoa! I can't believe it's you and not Kellyn!" Keith says, a little surprised. Rhythmi elbows him in the ribs and he winces at the pain.

"Please step forward," Ms. April says, and I obey, though I'm a little nervous.

CRASH!

The ground shakes violently, causing me to fall.

"W-what was that?" The students begin to clamor around in a panic.

"I-I'll go look!" Mr. Kincaid says, heading down the basement with a look of urgency. I get up and exchange looks of confusion with my friends.

"TANG! TANG!" an angry voice exclaims. We all look to where the voice came from, and out from the basement comes two huge Tangrowth, both looking perturbed.

"Everyone! Stay back!" Ms. April says, and we all move back as the Tangrowth approach closer. I notice a Pichu cowering behind the Tangrowth. I pray that it will go unnoticed, but on of the huge Pokémon slowly turns it attention to it.

"Pichu!" I exclaim. Without thinking, I sprint straight across the room and dive at the scared electric mouse as the Tangrowth prepares an attack. I tumble onto my knees, barely getting out with Pichu in my arms. This feels like déjà vu.

I look over my shoulder to see one Tangrowth swinging its arms at me while the other one terrorizes the others. I close my eyes, awaiting the hit, but it never comes.

"Ngh...! I fear for your future..."

"Huh?" I open my eyes and look up. Someone's blocking the Tangrowth's arms with his. "Kellyn!?"

Kellyn pushes Tangrowth's arms away, taking out his Styler. And I thought pushing the Dusknoir away was impressive... "Keith, we need to calm them down!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Keith calls from afar. Both aim their Stylers at the Tangrowth.

"Capture on!" The discs are sent out simultaneously They loop around until two solid lines appear and encase the Tangrowth in a flash of light, one after the other.

"Capture complete." Kellyn clicks his Styler closed just as Keith finishes his capture.

"What were you thinking?" Kellyn's glaring at me. He looks kinda scary...

"Um..." I look down and let Pichu go. "I... wasn't...?"

"You could've gotten hurt, you know!" he suddenly yells at me, his hands balled into fists at his side.

"I'm sorry!" I straighten, staring at him with eyes as wide as saucers, startled by his shouting. This isn't like him at all!

"Don't worry about him!" Keith says as he and Rhythmi come up to us. "He's just worried!" Rhythmi puts a hand on Kellyn's shoulder, quietly saying something to him. He clenches his jaw, but his eyes close and he relaxes a bit after a moment.

"If that's worry, then what is he like when he's mad?" I ask Keith with furrowed brows. I still need to learn a bit about their personalities...

"Uh... you don't wanna know..." Keith shivers.

"But you really should listen to Kellyn, you could've gotten hurt," Rhythmi says, now switching places with Keith, her hands on her hip.

"Eheheh..." I laugh sheepishly. Keith pats Kellyn, who still looks upset, on the shoulder. Rhythmi pulls me to her.

"You sure you don't like him?" she whispers. My face turns red.

"Will you stop?!" I squeak, hair standing on end. Rhythmi giggles.

"I'm pretty sure he-"

"Kellyn, Keith, thank you for saving the school from that disaster!" Ms. April and the others head our way as they recover from the shock. "Your capture performance was terrific!"

Ms. April turns to me. "And Kate, you have the heart of a Ranger if you would sacrifice your own safety for a Pokémon." Kellyn glares at the ground at her words.

"Pii! Pichu!" Pichu exclaims, thanking me. I smile at it. "You're welcome!"

The graduation ceremony proceeds as normal after that. Keith, Rhythmi, Kellyn and I take a picture together at the end. As I stand just outside of the gate to the Ranger School, I look at the picture, and as I see everyone's smiles – even Kellyn is smiling in the picture – I can't help but smile myself.

"I'm sure the four of us will see each other again."


	7. Chapter 7 - On the Job

Chapter 7

_Updated: 2/15/15_

* * *

"BIG SIS! WAKE UP!"

"AH!" I shriek as I bolt up and clumsily fall head-first off my bed, pulling part of my blanket with me.

"Geez, you always act like this," a little girl squeaks.

"W-what..?" I mutter absentmindedly. "W-where am I?"

"Mama told me to wake you up." A blonde-haired little girl with twin ponytails is standing above me, wearing a blue and white dress, long socks and blue shoes. "Breakfast is ready."

With that, she walks away and down a flight of stairs. I sit up, rubbing my aching head. "...Mom? Breakfast? Sis?"

Then I remember. My family came to pick me up from the Ranger School and we went to our new home in... uh... can't remember the name... Chicole Village? I look around my surroundings – my new room. Then I look at myself to see that I'm still in my student uniform. I must've been too tired and lazy to take it off. I get up and stretch, then head down the same flight of stairs that my sister took.

"Good morning sweetie," my mom greets cheerfully as I come down.

"Morning, Mom and Dad," I greet.

"Morning, Kate," Dad replies.

"How are you liking this house?" Mom asks, cleaning her hand with her apron after setting a plate of food down on the table.

"It's great," I reply. "I think it's better than the old one."

"It's a really convenient location, our farm is right outside," Dad remarks.

"I got to name it!" my sister chirps. "It's called Partner Farm! Oh, and you got a letter."

She hands me the letter.

"Thanks, Lila!" I smile and take it. I open and read through the letter.

"What is it?"

"It's from the Ranger Union," I reply, still reading. "I've been assigned my base."

"Already?" Mom asks.

"Mmhm, and it says I have to go immediately."

Dad chuckles and pats my head. "We're very proud of you."

"Wow! I can't believe you're going to be a Ranger so soon!" my sister says excitedly. At this moment, the door slams open.

"MORNING!" The greeting startles all of us. At the door is the lady Ranger I met during the one-day internship thing. She seems excited.

"HIYA KATE!" she yells. "Remember me? I'm Luana!"

"H-hi..." I stammer, nervous and confused.

"Buneary and I are going to escort you to our Ranger base!"

"Bun bun!" Buneary says cheerfully on Luana's shoulder.

"My my, that's really quick." Mom smiles.

"Oops! Sorry about the ruckus!" Luana apologizes, realizing just how loud she was being and we're in the middle of eating breakfast too.

"It's all good!" my sister chirps.

"Anyways, we have to go ASAP!" Luana takes ahold of my hand and drags me out of my house.

"Wah!" I exclaim. "W-wait! I didn't even get to eat yet!"

"See you later Kate!" I can see Lila waving enthusiastically.

Later, we're standing in front of Vientown's Ranger Base and it makes me feel a little nervous.

"What are you waiting for!? Let's go in!" Luana says, pushing me in. "Barlow! I got our new recruit!"

"Hey hey hey!" someone I recognize as Crawford greets. I see Barlow, Elaine, and Crawford standing in the front room as we head in.

"Hey there, Kate!" Barlow greets. "Congratulations on graduating, and welcome aboard our team!"

"Judging from your expression, I bet Luana took you by surprise!" Crawford laughs.

"Y-yeah..." I laugh nervously. "She kinda... barged into my house with a loud greeting and pulled me here..."

"Eheheh..." Luana sticks out the tip of her tongue. Everyone except me and Luana laughs.

"Yeah, she can be a bit too energetic at times," Barlow explains.

"Remember what happened when she was first assigned to this base?" Crawford teases. "She literally-"

"No one needs to be reminded of that!" Luana puts Crawford in a head lock to silence him, her face red.

"Anyways, you should change into a Ranger uniform," Elaine says, handing me a set of clothes. "You can change in there." She points to what I assume to be the changing room.

"T-thanks," I reply, walking into the room that she was pointing at and changing out of my student uniform.

"That looks good on you!" Luana chirps as I come out wearing the red-and-white uniform.

"Now about today's lunch delivery..."

"Heh?!" I exclaim, surprised.

"Just kidding!" Crawford grins, though it's promptly chased off of his face when Luana smacks him on the head.

"You'll have to get used to Crawford's jokes," Barlow says. "And, to certify you as an official Ranger, here's your Capture Styler!"

Barlow hands me a red Styler. "Thanks!"

"Oi, I heard that the two friends that you were with were assigned bases in the Fiore region."

"That's... pretty far..." I say, disappointed.

"Don't worry, you'll get a chance to visit them!" Crawford reassures.

"Anyways," Barlow starts, "I'll assign you an easy mission for your first day, and that is to join Crawford in delivering the Vien Tribune."

How is that even a mission?

"I usually deliver them everyday by myself," Crawford comments. "So it'll be great to have some company."

"That way, you'll get to know the town and Chicole Village," Barlow continues.

"Okay," I reply. This "mission" makes a bit more sense now. Barlow then gives us a load of newspapers, and we start our delivery route. We go to this house and that house, all the while introducing myself to people and getting to know them.

"Next up is Mr. Woodward."

We head into a house full of wood and the smell of sawdust.

"Doesn't seem like anyone's here," I say, looking around.

"He's probably at Nabiki Beach." We hurry to the beach to find Mr. Woodward watching the three Pokémon we rescued the day of my internship playing together.

"Chupa!" Pachirisu jumps onto me happily.

"Whoa!" It takes me by surprise and I fall backwards.

"Kate, are you okay?" Crawford asks out of concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I giggle as Pachirisu nuzzles me.

"Well well, will you look at that!" Mr. Woodward comes up to us. "That Pachirisu has been waiting for you!"

"Me?" I ask, sitting up with the Pokémon in my arms.

"Pachirisu always comes to the beach as if she's waiting for someone, and now I understand."

"I heard that sometimes, when you meet someone on this beach, the two of you will become best of friends," Crawford says.

"Pachi pachi!" Pachirisu runs around me happily. I can't help but to giggle at the sight. We seem to get along unusually fast for a human and Pokemon, there is just this bond I have with her when we met.

"Pachirisu seems to have taken quite the liking to you since back then," Mr. Woodward says. "Would you like to take her as your partner?"

"Partner?" I ask with a blank face.

"Every Ranger is allowed a Pokémon partner that assists them," Crawford explains. "It's different from Pokémon that are captured in that they stay with you forever."

"Chupa!" Pachirisu climbs onto my head and does a few little hops. I grab onto her and hold Pachirisu in my hands facing me.

"Wanna tag along with me?" I ask with a smile. Pachirisu nods cheerfully.

"Oh right, Mr. Woodward, here's the daily Vien Tribune." Crawford hands the elderly man a copy.

"Ah, thank you very much," Mr. Woodward thanks. "I always look forward to reading these."

We bid goodbye to Mr. Woodward, Munchlax, and Starly, then head for Chicole Village to deliver the remaining newspapers.

"Okay, last one." Crawford points to my house.

"My house?"

"Yep."

"Mom, Dad, I'm back." I open the door to see that they're still inside.

"Welcome back, Kate," Dad replies.

"Welcome back Kate!" my little sister chirps, hugging me.

"You look fantastic in that uniform!" Mom compliments, which makes me turn red.

"Thanks!"

"Aw! Who's this little Pokémon?" Lila crouches down to look at Pachirisu.

"Chupa!" Pachirisu greets.

"She's so cute~!" my little sister squeals.

"This is my Pokémon partner Pachir... Pachi!" I introduce. It's better to keep the name short.

"Hi there Pachi! Nice to meet you!" She cuddles with Pachi.

"What are you doing?" My dad asks.

"Oh, um, I'm helping Crawford deliver the Vien Tribune," I reply.

"That doesn't sound very much like what a Ranger would do." Lila remarks.

"It's my first day!" I pout. Crawford chuckles before handing my dad the last copy.

"So this is the Vien Tribune I have heard about," he says. "I'll look forward to reading it."

"We'll be going back to the base, then," Crawford states, and I follow him out.

"Kate! Good luck being a Ranger!" my little sister squeaks from the house. I wave good bye to her.

"Your little sister sure is energetic," Crawford says.

"You should see her which she eats too many sweets."

...

"Crawford and Kate reporting back!" Crawford exclaims upon entering the base.

"Welcome back!" Luana chirps.

"Chupa!" Pachi runs around energetically.

"Well, if it isn't the Pachirisu from the internship!" Barlow says.

"Yep, apparently she's been waiting for Kate this whole time," Crawford explains.

"I take it that this Pachirisu became your partner?" Barlow asks.

"Mmhmm." I nod. "Guys, this is Pachi."

"Chu chupa!" Pachi hops up and down.

"She's so cute and full of energy!" Luana squeals, patting Pachi's head.

"Bun bun!" Buneary hops down from Luana's shoulder to greet Pachi. They seem to be friends already.

"Bu budew!"

"Maka!" The other Pokémon come out to greet Pachi, too.

"You gave her a name too, huh," Barlow comments.

"Well... Pachirisu's kinda long to say... heheh." I scratch the back of my head.

"Anyways, good job on finishing your first mission." Barlow gives me a thumbs up. "You want to rest or explore a bit?"

"Um, I'll explore a bit first," I reply. "Let's go, Pachi!"

"Chupa!" Pachi climbs onto my shoulder as we head out. "I'll see you guys later!"

...

The next day goes normal... kinda. Barlow puts me through a course in Vien Forest to see how well I can do, which ends with me dangling upside-down over a cliff by a rope tied around my foot.

"Okay, I get the pit traps and the falling rocks but... YOU NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS!"

Barlow and the others laugh their heads off.

"Crawford was the one that thought it up!" Barlow wheezes between laughs.

"Hey!" Crawford argues between laughter. "You're the one that agreed and said it was a great idea!"

"Sorry, Kate, but we couldn't stop them!" Luana shouts, though she and Elaine are enjoying this too.

Pachi and I decide to take a stroll on the beach this morning, since it's refreshing, in a way, but then I hear a weird, eerie noise.

"What's that?" I wonder to myself. I follow the sound and find a cave. "I didn't notice this here before..."

"Chupa..." Pachi covers her ears, as if she's in pain.

"What's wrong?" I look worriedly at my partner, then I hear the weird noise again. Then I sense something weird. "That's bothering you, isn't it?"

"Chupa..." Pachi nods painfully while still covering her ears. I furrow my brows and decide to head away from the cave, which relaxes Pachi a little.

"Hmm..." I put a hand to my chin. "I wonder what's going on..."

I pat Pachi on the head. "Stay here, I'm going to check it out."

"Chupa..." Pachi sounds sad and worried.

"Don't worry, I'll be back in no time!" I say cheerfully and head for the cave. The noise doesn't affect me, but it sure has an effect on the Pokémon in the cave.

"...They look hypnotized... Just like..." I furrow my brows as I remember the Dusknoir. Deciding to go deeper into the cave, I can hear the noise getting louder and feel this weird vibe I'm sensing getting stronger. Suddenly, I'm attacked by a Zubat.

"AHHH!" I shriek. "ZUBAT!"

Seriously, I almost run out of the cave, until I remember what Kellyn told me about Rangers. They must face danger and fear head on. Right. I stand my ground and pull out my Capture Styler.

"Capture on!" A disc shoots out and wheels around the attacking Zubat. It's a little difficult, considering it's moving around so much, but I manage to make a solid loop around it. A bright flash of light signals the completion of the capture.

"Capture complete." I click my Styler closed as the disc returns. The Zubat looks around, confused, then flies away.

"Wha...?" I frown. "Why couldn't I capture it?"

Putting that aside, I head deeper in, and my eyes adjust in the dark. I don't know how long I've been in here. I guide myself by keeping a hand on the cave wall at all times. I'm getting the feeling that something's going to happen. Suddenly, I hear a ringing, which startles me. It turns out that my Styler was what was making the ringing sound. I take it out and answer the voice call.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Kate! You're okay!" That sounds like Barlow.

"Well... yeah..." I reply, a bit confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because Pachi came back alone and we thought you might've gotten in trouble."

"Pachi?" Right... She must've gotten worried and headed back for help. Before I can say any more, I reach an area where I can see Zubat and Shellos going in circles around a red, fire hydrant-looking machine. The machine is giving me weird vibes.

"Kate, you there?" This time I hear Crawford's voice.

"Oh, um, yeah..."

"Where are you?" Luana's voice asks.

"I'm in a cave at Nabiki Beach," I reply. "I think I might need some help. The Pokémon here are acting weird."

"Gotcha!" Crawford's voice replies.

"Oh, and bring ear plugs."

"Ear plugs?"

"I think it might help."

"Well, okay," Crawford replies. "I'll be there in a minute, and I'll bring Pachi along too."

"Thanks!"

"Okay, I'm going to make this into a mission. You two come back safely." That's Barlow.

"Roger." With that, I end the voice call and look back at the situation. I try getting close to them, but they only stare back at me with hypnotized eyes and ready themselves to attack if I get any closer. I sigh.

"This is gonna take a while..." Then, I notice another entrance that connects to a deeper part of the cave, so I decide to go in there. Surprisingly, the air in this room feels calmer than the first one, and the Pokémon are calmer as well. I hear a Pokémon cry and immediately head for it, only to see that a huge boulder is blocking where the cry is coming from.

"How do I get past this?" I ask myself, then notice a passing Nosepass. "Aha!"

Aiming my Styler at Nosepass, I release the disc. "Capture on!"

I made swift movements until a solid ring is formed and encases Nosepass in a flash of light. "Capture complete. Nosepass, use Rock Smash and crush that boulder!"

"Nosepass!" The Pokémon cries out, smashing the boulder into bits and pieces.

"Thanks for the help!" I wave goodbye to Nosepass, then head into the other area of the cave.

"H-hello?" My voice echoes within the seemingly tiny area.

"Gast..." a Pokémon says. I squint and see a pink Gastrodon.

"A Gastrodon... water..." I mutter to myself. "Red... fire...? Worth the shot."

Gastrodon notices me and sends a Mud Bomb in my direction.

"Whoa!" I hastily jump out of the way, faceplanting the ground. "Ow ow ow..."

I look at the Pokémon calmly and aim my Styler at it.

"Capture on!" The disc goes around Gastrodon as I make slashing movements, then circular movements, as Gastrodon is encased with a flash of light. "Capture complete."

I walk closer to Gastrodon. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just need your help."

"Gast." Gastrodon nods and follows me out to where the red machine is. The Pokémon does experience some pain as it exposes itself to the noise the machine is making.

"Gastrodon, use Water Pulse," I command, pointing to the red machine. Gastrodon obeys and aims at it.

Crawford's POV

"This must be Marine Cave," I say, recognizing it now that I see it. Then, I hear a eerie noise. "What's that?"

"Chupa..."

"Budew..." Both Pokémon sound like they're in pain.

"What's wrong, guys?" I ask, concerned. Noticing Pachi covering her ears, I'm reminded of what Kate had said – bring earplugs.

"So that's what she means." I take out two pairs of earmuffs. "Not exactly earplugs, but it'll do."

Upon putting them on, Pachi and Budew look much better.

"Let's head in now." The Pokémon nod. The cave isn't really that eerie, but the noise is making it that way. I am attacked by one of the Pokémon, and I try to capture it, but it doesn't work and they just flee after the capture finishes.

"What is going on here?" I look around. The Pokémon in this cave are acting like zombies. We head deeper in and the weird noise stops, just like that. "What the..."

Up ahead, I can make out two silhouettes, one of a Pokémon and one of a familiar figure.

"Kate!"

"Chupa!" Pachi races to her side. Kate looks over her shoulder.

"Oh, hey," she says, her voice remarkably calm.

"Man, you must be really brave to sound so calm in this place." I laugh a little. She kneels down on one knee and pats Pachi, then takes off the earmuffs.

"Hey, wait... huh?" After taking them off, Pachi still acts normal and undisturbed.

"It's safe now," she says. I take off Budew's, and my Pokémon acts normally too.

"What happened?"

"Huh? Oh, um... It's that thing." She points at a machine that looks destroyed. "I think that's what was upsetting the Pokémon."

Kate's POV

I thank Gastrodon for its help, and it slowly crawls away while Crawford examines the machine.

Hm... I saw Gastrodon... then I slightly remember destroying the machine with Gastrodon's help. My memory is jumbled up again. I give out a heavy sigh as Pachi climbs onto my shoulder.

"I don't know what this thing is," Crawford confirms. "We might have to carry this back to the base for further investigation."

"That thing looks heavy," I state. Crawford tries to heave it up, but with no luck.

"How much does this weigh?! It feels like it's as heavy as a Snorlax!"

"That's exaggerating it Crawford..." I roll my eyes.

"Come here and help me."

I walk over, and we both try to heave the thing, but it won't budge.

"Okay, I believe you now."

Crawford makes a call on his Styler. "We're going to need help."

He makes a report to Barlow about what happened in the cave.

"Who would be able to carry that thing?" I ask.

"I know someone who does." Crawford grins. "And it's not Barlow, it's someone stronger."

"Heh? There's someone tougher than him?"

"Yep. Why don't you go ahead and head back, I'll wait here."

"Um, you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay then, bye." On the way out, I meet more Zubat, and I end up running out of the cave shrieking. "No. More. Bats!"

I rest for a bit outside, then continue my way back to base. Along the way, I meet Big Bertha, one of the people I delivered a paper to. I'm not trying to be rude, but she is huge. Is she the one Crawford was talking about? After talking to her, she head in the direction of the cave. Yep, she is.

...

"I'm back."

"Hey Kate, Crawford gave me the report; you two found a strange machine in the cave?" Barlow asks. I nod.

"It was making weird noises and hypnotizing the Pokémon around it."

"Hm... that's strange..." Barlow puts a hand to his chin. "But you're quick on your feet for someone who just became a Ranger!"

"T-thanks." I laugh nervously.

"Kate, guess what?" Elaine asks, handing me the Almia Times newspaper. The front page headline reads: Keith, The New Hero!

I chuckle. "Already on the front page." Then the abnormal behaviors of the Pokémon in the article catch my attention. It's just like the ones I encountered earlier.

The door slides open and Little Tim, another person I met while delivering, comes in. Surprisingly, he's Big Bertha's husband. I guess love knows no bounds.

"S-sorry to disturb y'all, but I'm having a tiny bit of trouble," Little Tim says nervously.

"What is it?" Luana asks.

"Ya see, ever since Big Bertha left to help Crawford, our Miltank has been in a bad mood," he explains, "and I can't calm it down. So I thought maybe one of you Rangers could help."

"Of course," Barlow replies. "Kate, sorry to send you out, but this is a great way for you to learn to take on quests from people."

I guess missions and quests are different.

"Sure." Little Tim takes me to his Miltank. Boy, is he right. The Miltank looks furious. Once she sees me, the Pokémon charges straight at me.

"Eek!" I screech, scrambling out of the way. Miltank comes back, charging at me again and again and again. She doesn't seem like she'll stop until she hits me, which I doubt I'll like.

"Pachi, paralyze Miltank!"

"Chupa!" Pachi releases static waves, stopping Miltank long enough for me to capture it.

"Capture complete," I say, finally calming Miltank down. Walking over, I pat Miltank on the head. "No need to be so upset."

"Mil!" Miltank chirps.

"I guess I'm done, so I'll go back to base now!" I wave at Little Tim, then jump over the fence.

"Thanks a bunch!" Little Tim calls out.

"No problem!"

Before I head into base, I hear a loud THUD sound, which makes me jump. "What was that?!"

It seems to be one weird thing after another.


	8. Chapter 8 - Fire Crisis

Chapter 8

_Updated: 2/15/15_

* * *

I peek into the base to see everyone surrounding the the destroyed machine from earlier.

"B-Big Bertha... You carried this thing all the way here... on your shoulder?!" Barlow asks in disbelief.

HEH?! I get a look of disbelief on my face as well when I hear that.

"You really are the strongest in Almia!" Barlow compliments.

...That's an understatement...

"Anyways, what is this thing?" Crawford asks.

"Don't know..." Barlow says, looking at the machine. "Never seen something like this in my life."

"Let's dismantle it~!" Elaine sings, holding a wrench in her hand.

"That sounds like a good idea," I say, joining in.

"Oh, hey Kate," Crawford greets.

"N-no!" Barlow says urgently, stopping Elaine from getting closer to the machine.

"Why?" Elaine pouts.

"We have to bring Prof. Hasting in to examine this!" Barlow answers. "But he's on a business trip in the Fiore region and won't be back for a couple of days."

"Then dismantle it, then let him examine it," Elaine replies, eyes sparkling.

"Elaine, no!" Barlow denies. "We need to leave it like this! You'll dismantle it when he comes to look."

"...Fine," Elaine says, upset. I sweatdrop. That is one energetic mechanic... Though I am slightly interested in what the machine is made of myself.

...

The next day, I'm assigned to patrolling around town and helping the people in need. Elaine's still being impatient. Not much is happening.

What is that smell? I think when I wake up the day after that. I get up and head out of the room with Pachi.

"Barlow, did someone burn toast?" I ask the man standing in the base.

"No, it's not that," Barlow says with an urgent look on his face. "It's-"

"Fwahhhh... I smelled something burning." Luana comes out, sleepy and rubbing her eyes. "I didn't burn the toast this time."

"It's not about toast!" Barlow sweatdrops. "Crawford called me while he was taking a stroll this morning. There's a fire in Vien Forest!"

"F-F-FIRE?!" Luana and I exclaim. Barlow nods.

"Crawford is at the site right now, so forget about food and go help Crawford put out the fire!" Barlow commands. "This is a mission, people!"

"Roger!" we exclaim and begin heading out.

"Remember, safety comes first; don't do anything that will endanger your life!" Barlow calls. "Injuries are fine, just don't die!"

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" I sweatdrop. Luana giggles. We head north to see people at the forest's entrance, looking worried.

"Everyone!" Luana calls out as we run in. "Stay away from this area, it's dangerous!"

...

"Hey Luana, there's someone up ahead."

"Is it Crawford?"

"No... It's Mimi!" I exclaim, recognizing the little girl.

"Mimi?!" Luana exclaims as we get closer. "Why are you here? It's dangerous here, so you have to go back home!"

"Mim can't go," The little girl snivels with tears in her eyes. "Three of Mimi's Happiny all ran away!"

"Hap happiny..." The remaining Happiny starts crying next to her.

"T-they suddenly stopped listening to Mimi and now they're gone!" Mimi cries.

"Don't cry, Mimi." Luana crouches down to pat her head and comfort her.

"Don't worry, we'll get them back to you," I comfort.

"Y-you will?" Mimi snivels.

"You can trust us! We're Rangers, aren't we?" Luana smiles kindly at her.

"Happiny!" The Happiny chirps.

"Yep!" Mimi nods happily, wiping her tears. "Mimi will wait here 'til you come back!"

"Okay, just be careful," I say. With that, we head deeper into the forest. "First Happiny, then fire."

Luana nods. "Let's split up to look for them."

We head in different directions. As I run down the path I chose, I see two Happiny, but a huge, still-burning log drops down, blocking my path and cornering the two Happiny.

"Hap! Happiny!" The two exclaim in fear as the fire spreads. I have to get to them before they get hurt. I look around to see if there is any water-type that will help.

"Chupa!" Pachi points to a Wartortle in the distance.

"Good eyes, Pachi!" I compliment.

"Chupa!"

I aim my Styler at the Wartortle. "Capture on!"

The disc comes out and encircles the Pokémon. I make slashing and circular movements with my Styler and the disc creates a solid ring, encasing the Wartortle in a flash of light. "Capture complete! Wartortle, use Water Gun!"

"War! Wartortle!" Wartortle obeys, shooting out a blast of water to stop the fire.

"Thanks, Wartortle, but I might need your help again later."

"Wartortle!" Wartortle says as I climb over the log to see the scared Happiny.

"Happiny, I'm here to bring you two back to Mimi," I say, trying to soothe them, but it doesn't work, so I have to capture them. I release my disc once more and capture the scared little Pokémon, calming them down.

"Let's go back to Mimi." I smile.

"Hap!" The two Happiny agree. We head back to where Mimi is, dodging more falling logs and branches. When we get back, I see Luana there as well.

"Luana!" I call and wave.

"Kate, did you find the other ones?"

"Mmhmm," I say, showing the two Happiny. The other two greet them happily.

"Yay! Welcome back, Happiny!" Mimi chirps. "Thank you Rangers, they're all back!"

"Hap happiny!" the four Pokémon chant.

"No problem, just head home safely," Luana replies.

"Mimi will! Bye bye!" Mimi chirps and starts walking out. "Thank you!"

"Bye!" We wave. "Okay, let's get to Crawford."

We head in one direction, then turn in another, until we finally see Crawford.

"Hey!" Luana shouts to get his attention.

"Oi! It's about time you got here!" Crawford calls back.

"Sorry, we had trouble on the way here," I explain.

"I'd say." Crawford tries to fan himself with his shirt. "This place is a toaster!"

"Now that you mention it..." Luana starts to fan herself. "Is it getting hotter, or is it just me?"

"It's you," Crawford jokes. "No, I'm kidding. The fire's getting bigger, and I need help evacuating the Pokémon before they get hurt."

"On it!" Luana gives a thumbs up.

"Kate, I need you to find a Pokémon that can use Rain Dance," Crawford tells me.

"Roger-" I hear a Pokémon cry. It sounds so scared... Terrified...

Before I know it, I'm heading into the sea of fire, leaving Pachi and the others behind.

"Kate! What are you doing?!"

"Don't worry! I'll be back!"...Well, at least, that's what I think I said.

Either I'm immune to pain, or I'm just not thinking about it, but after getting some burns here and there – thankfully, it's not my hair – I don't feel anything. I run deeper in, tuning into the Pokémon cry I heard. As I do, I think I see the space in front of me waver a little, though it must be my imagination.

"I wish it would rain. This heat is getting to my brain..." I mutter, then shake my head and slap myself. "C'mon Kate, focus!"

"Cher cher!" A Cherubi hops out of nowhere, trying to tell me something.

"Something wrong?"

"Cher!" Cherubi runs off, trying to tell me to follow it.

"Hold up!" I follow Cherubi until it stops and hops on one spot.

"Cher...?" Cherubi looks curiously around as if looking for something that was there before. Right next to Cherubi is a destroyed machine like the one back at base.

"Wha...? How did that get there?" Then, noticing a partly lit branch falling directly towards Cherubi, I quickly dive to cover the distracted Pokémon.

"Ow..." I wince at the pain.

"Cher...?" Cherubi looks worriedly at me.

"I'm fine..." I assure the Pokémon, though it stings. "Let's get you out." Except... I don't think I know how...

There is a loud sound of wood snapping as a huge tree trunk in front of me falls.

"Uh oh..." I say with a flat tone. And this is where things start getting blurry. As if acting on instinct, I unconsciously thrust a hand towards the tree trunk, sending a strain throughout my body. And then, as I sense a tingling energy through my hands, I begin to lose consciousness. The last thing I see and hear is the tree trunk snapping and... rain? And off to dreamland I go!

* * *

"EEEEKKKK! BATS BATS BATS!" I run as fast as I can when I saw the horde of bat Pokémon. Then, everything stops, the bat Pokémon disappear, and everything I see turns white.

"Hello?" I look around. "What is this place?"

I would walk around, but everything is white, so I don't bother. Time seems to stand still for a while. I look down to the ground, but it's not there. I've been standing on the smooth surface of some water... How is that even possible? Looking upon my reflection in the water, I seem different somehow, but I can't make out what is different. I crouch down to my feet to get a closer look, only to furrow my brows and frown. "Is it...?"

I think I see the reflection of someone standing behind me, but when I turn around, no one is there. Weird. I then hear a loud clatter of noises that I can recognize.

"Would you start talking already?!" That sounds like Barlow.

"Geez! Why are you so loud in the morning?!" That's Luana, probably.

"Luana, it's gonna get burned again if you don't pay attention!" That's Crawford.

"Wha... OH SHOOT!" There's a loud clatter as something drops.

"Looks like we're gonna have another fire!" That sounded like a sing-a-long tone.

"Oh, shut up!"

"Elaine, no, please don't touch that!" Barlow again.

"Haha! When it comes to machines, she just can't help herself!" Crawford laughing. "Ow!"

"Ngh...! J-just wait a little longer! I wish Prof. Hasting would come faster!"

I groan and get up, rubbing my aching head. When did I hit my head? What's going on outside? Sighing, I sleepily get up and open the door to the lobby of the base. I can see Barlow clutching Elaine, from going near the machine, while also dealing with some guy I don't remember meeting, who is tied up in ropes. There's Luana and Crawford pinching each other's face and fighting. Crawford has a big bump on his head and a messy face. On the floor lays a mess of broken plates and burnt toast. Once I step out, everyone freezes and gives me a weird look.

"You're awake!" I look over to the counter to see the operator smiling at me.

"Huh...?" I say sleepily, then rub my eyes. "What are you guys-"

"KATE!"

"WAAHHH!" I snap into a startled position and shriek in terror as Luana and Crawford tackle me to the ground, which earns them each a fist to the head from Barlow.

"OW!" they exclaim in unison as a bump grows on each of their heads.

"No rough housing!"

"You didn't seem to mind when we were fighting earlier!" Crawford says in defense.

"What are you guys?! Three year olds?!" I have my back against the door, staring at them with shock. I feel like I just had déjà vu.

"Chupa!" Pachi jumps onto me and gives me a hug. Then I heard the door slide open.

"Now that was some exercise! And that Wendy wanted to fly me here! What a joke!"

"I see you're the same as always."

"Whuh...?" I look to the entrance to see who's there. "What? Why are you here?!"


	9. Chapter 9 - Gigaremo

Chapter 9

_Updated: 6/14/15_

* * *

"Prof. Hasting!" Barlow exclaims happily. "Thank goodness you're here!"

"Sorry it took so long," the man in the coat replies.

"Please, just look at this thing!" Barlow says urgently. "I don't think I can keep Elaine down any longer!"

"See? We should've taken up Wendy's offer!" the guy with midnight-blue hair and eyes says.

"I'd rather climb Mt. Silver than use any means of flying transportation," Hasting argues back. Boy is that one healthy old man.

"Now what's this?" He walks over to the machine.

"You haven't answered me!" I shout at the blue-haired guy, who is quite familiar. "Why are you here!?"

"Is that how you treat someone after not seeing them for a long time, Katie?"

"That's not my name!" I pout.

"So you do remember me." He grins.

"How could I forget," I mutter.

"Hey... aren't you..." Crawford starts pointing at the guy, which earns him a smack upside the head from Luana.

"Pointing's rude!"

"Who are you? My mom?" Crawford argues. The guy laughs.

"Lunick! Stop ignoring my question!" I yell at him.

"I knew it!" Crawford exclaims.

"Right, right, sorry," Lunick replies. "We're escorting Prof. Hasting back to Ranger HQ."

"We?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, me and... Where is he? He ran off after the fire." Lunick looks around. "I thought he would be here..."

"Fire..?" I blink, and suddenly blooms in my shoulder. "Ow ow ow!"

"Kate?" Luana prompts me worriedly.

"Typical." Lunick chuckles. "It still takes you a while to realize you're hurt."

"Shut up." I scowl, holding onto my shoulder. "What happened back in the forest?"

"Well, you acted on your own and ran straight into the fire zone," Crawford answers. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

I cringe. "S-sorry..."

"We found you unconscious after a rain storm suddenly appeared," Luana continues.

"And that guy too." Crawford thumbs at the tied-up guy. "He might know something about the fire, but he refuses to say anything."

"He was tied up all night?" I ask.

"Pretty much. Barlow tried everything he knows to get him to talk, he even tried giving him nicknames that aren't funny at all like 'oil-reeking guy'."

"We decided to call him Ollie instead." Luana giggles.

"Chupa?" Pachi looks up at Lunick's shoulder, at a Minun sitting there.

"Min?" Minun looks curiously back.

"Go on, don't be shy," Lunick coaxes. Minun hops off and the two electric Pokémon start playing around after a moment of staring at each other.

"So how have you been, Kat?"

"I've been better," I reply, looking at the bandages on me.

"Do you guys know each other?" Luana asks.

"Right, let me start over." Lunick clears his throat.

"Oh no, please don't," I quickly say, knowing what he is going to say. He pulls towards him and swings an arm over my shoulder.

"My name's Lunick, and baby Kate here is kind of like my little sister!" He grins. "She's always come crying to me when something scares her."

Crawford and Luana hide snickers.

My face is flushed red. "D-don't make it sound like I still do!"

"Aw, is wittle Katie finally growing up after coming to Almia?" Lunick teases, ruffling my hair. "You used to write to me all the time when I was away. You were quite the writer, especially that one time when you wrote-OW!"

I stepped on his foot to stop his talking. "No one needs to know about what I wrote!"

"Hm... I think I've seen something like this before," Hasting suddenly says, pulling us all back to the issue at hand. "Lunick, do you remember?"

"Wasn't it in Pueltown?" Lunick replies, holding onto his numb foot.

"Oh yes! That's it! I thought that it was some kind of a new design for a mailbox."

"Mailbox?" I comment flatly.

"Can I dismantle it now?" Elaine whines.

"Yes yes, go right ahead. I would like to see what's inside. But be gentle." Hasting adds in the last part quickly.

After hearing that, Elaine gets really happy and starts working.

"Barlow, why don't you sent some Rangers to investigate in Pueltown?" Hasting suggests. "It might help."

Barlow nods. "Any volunteers?"

"I will!" I say tersely. Anything that will get me away from Lunick's embarrassing talk.

"Are you sure Kate?" Barlow says in concern. "You haven't fully recovered from yesterday."

"Don't worry."

"That's what you said before you dashed into the fire yesterday," Crawford deadpans. I sweatdrop.

"I'll be more careful this time."

"You're never careful," Lunick points out. I give him a look that says 'shut up'.

"I'll be fine," I say determinedly, though Barlow looks reluctant.

"I'll go with Kate, just in case!" Luana says.

"And I'll be here laughing if you end up calling for backup later on because of something silly," Crawford jokes. "You did that when you thought there were ghosts on one of your missions."

Luana glares at him. "And you were useless when you came to help me."

"Okay, enough." Barlow sighs. "You two should get going."

"You sure have a lot on your hands," Lunick says to Barlow.

"I know..." Barlow replies, pinching the arch of his nose.

"Barlow has to put up with us all the time." Crawford grins.

"We'll be off then," Luana says before we leave the base. Pachi follows quickly after me, saying goodbye to Minun.

...

"Your brother sure is amusing." Luana giggles.

"We're not actually related, but he can be just as annoying as one sometimes," I pout.

"How long have you guys known each other?"

I think for a while. "I can't remember... He and Solana visited me and my family whenever they had time back in Fiore."

"Then you guys must be close like family!" Luana chirps. "Hey, look!"

Luana points to a cliff up ahead. "It's Lookout Ridge!"

She practically sprints to it. "Isn't the view amazing?"

I gotta admit, it's a great view. I notice a tower under construction, and I start to wonder about it.

"TALK ALREADY OLLIE! CRAWFORD'S SUCH AN IDIOT!"

That sudden scream almost gives me and Pachi a heart attack.

"That felt good~!"

"What was that for?!" I squeak, feeling as if my heart's going to jump out of my chest.

"Sorry to scare you like that!" Luana apologizes. "It's just good to get that off my chest."

"Next time, warn me before you do it," I say, shaking.

"Chupa..." Pachi agrees.

"I'll try to remember that!" Luana giggles. "Let's get to Pueltown."

As we get closer to the town, I feel a chill down my spine.

"Something wrong?"

"Don't you sense it?"

"Sense what?" Luana gives me a look of confusion.

"Nevermind." Am I the only one that's getting this weird sensation?

"Come back here, you no-good crooks!" someone shouts as we arrive.

We turn to the left to see a pink-haired guy with tropical clothing running right past us.

"What was that about?"

"...Do you hear something?" I ask, listening closely. It's the same weird and eerie noise from back in the cave.

"Now that you mention it... What is that?"

"Chupa..."

"Bun bun..." Our Pokémon cry in pain and try their best to cover their ears.

"Guys, what's wrong?" Luana asks in concern. Good thing I was prepared. I take out some ear plugs and pop them into the Pokémon's ears.

"Better?" They nod in response. Note to self – always bring earplugs.

I proceed to look around Pueltown. I spot something familiar, so I walk over to it.

"That looks like the one in the base and the one we saw in the forest," Luana gasps. I kneel down to look closer at it.

"Someone destroyed it." There's something that takes my notice in the pile of rubble, and I'm about to reach for it when a scream suddenly comes in.

"SOMEONE! HEEELLPPPPP!" It's from the same direction that the pink-haired guy rushed to. We quickly head over to see what is going on. As we head that way, we see a blue hydrant to the right and a few Bibarel blocking the path straight ahead.

"The Pokémon are acting as if someone's controlling them!" Luana points.

We head up the stairs, which aren't blocked off, and see Elekid and Magby circling around the pink-hair guy and a little girl whom I recognize as Melody.

"Hold on! We'll save you two!" Luana calls out.

Remembering my experiences in the cave, I turn to Luana. "You can't capture them when they're in this state." After informing Luana of this, I notice a green hydrant nearby. If water works on a red one... then maybe fire works on a green one?

"Luana, get a fire-type and destroy that green hydrant." I point towards the machine. "I'll deal with the Bibarel from before."

"Got it!" From there, we split up. I head back down the stairs to the hypnotized Bibarel forming the blockade. I poke Pachi and motion towards the blue hydrant. She understands what I'm trying to say and jumps up, sending an electric attack at it. Once it's destroyed, I give Pachi a thumbs up, though the Bibarel are still hypnotized. Must be because the green one hasn't been destroyed yet.

"How long is the range on these things?" I mutter. Deciding to not wait any longer, I jump over them and run straight towards the ports, with the Bibarel on my tail.

"So they don't just stand around," I note to myself. Seeing a ledge with a broken rail, I jump from a nearby wooden crate and lose the Bibarel. From my new position, I can hear voices.

"Who's the genius that made these Gigaremos so heavy?!"

"It's thanks to how heavy this thing is that we were spotted!"

"Just shut up."

"But some of them were destroyed! All of our hard work planting them in place gone!"

I walk over by the rails where the voices are, making sure to hide in the shadows to avoid notice. I see a group of people dressed in dark purple clothes, and all except one of them are wearing black caps. They are surrounding a yellow hydrant.

"Stop complaining and place that Gigaremo down." Once it's placed down, it sends out a huge invisible sonic wave that makes my head hurt. It doesn't look like those people are affected. From my view, I can see a dark aura surrounding the hydrant.

What's going on?

I try to cover my ears, but it's no use. Pachi looks at me with concern; she isn't being affected because of the plugs I gave her earlier.

It's so unbearable that I involuntarily step back, causing me to accidentally knock over a cylindrical red tank. I immediately regret doing that.

"Who's there?" I hear footsteps closing in.

Drat. I signal for Pachi to stay put.

"Shoot! It's another Ranger!"

"Toxicroak! Get rid of her!"

"Tch." I jump on top of a crate to dodge out of the way and reach for my Styler. My headache is soothed a little by a sudden rush of adrenaline, but not by much. "Capture on!"

I guide my Styler around the swift Toxicroak. Just when a solid circle is about to be formed around it, the Toxicroak jumps up and aims a Poison Jab at me. This time, I barely make it out unscathed. Again, I guide my Styler while moving in sync with the Toxicroak. Finally, the solid ring appears again and successfully encases the Toxicroak in a bright light. The Pokémon looks around, confused, before running off. I look over to the group to see that they're trying to lift the hydrant and scurry away.

"We, Team Dim Sum, will be back!"

"Idiot! Why would you tell a Ranger our name?!"

"Crap! I thought it would sound cool!"

"Hey, stop!" I call out.

"Yeah right! Who would stop when the person chasing them tells them to?"

I chase after them, but they manage to get on a boat and out of my reach. I stand facing the vast ocean as the boat heads off. I grit my teeth and look down to see my reflection, only to see something bizarre.

"What the..."

"Come back here, crooks!" I turn around to see the pink-haired guy jump straight over me into the water. "BROOK'S SUPER JUMP!"

Astonished by what the guy just did, I fail to move away from the splash he makes and get all wet.

-On the utmost top of the pier-

"Ooh, she's gonna catch a cold." The voice sounds amused. "Why did you stop me from helping her?" The owner of the voice frowns.

"Being rash won't get you anywhere," The man beside him replies. "Besides, I wanted to see if she could handle herself."

"She was careless back at the forest." The boy frowns.

"But at least you put out the fire before it got worse."

"...So, are we done?"

The man beside him sighs. "You're too tense."

The two fly away with the help of a couple of flying-types.

"Kate!" "Chupa!" I turn around again to see Luana, Pachi, and Melody coming towards me. "Have you seen Brook? The guy in tropical clothes?" asks Luana.

I point to the ocean. She falls over right in front of me, which seems like a bit of an overreaction.

"Seriously?!" Luana asks, facing up. Melody giggles.

"Brother Brook is funny."

"Brother?"

"Issac isn't around much, so Brook acts like another brother to me."

Someone sighs. "If that's Brook, then don't worry, he'll be back." I look ahead to see a fisherman. "It's just another normal day with Brook."

"Him? Jumping into the sea? With flip flops between his teeth? Swimming after a ship? Normal?" I deadpan.

"Yep," the fisherman says causally. "Perfectly normal."

"If that's normal, then what's crazy?" Luana deadpans.

We hear panting behind us.

"Damn. I got tired. And lost them." Brook crawls up after throwing his flip flops on shore.

"You're okay!" Luana exclaims.

"I told you so," The fisherman states.

"I'll report this to Barlow via voicemail and then we'll head back," Luana informs me. "And you need a change of clothes A-SAP," she says, turning to Brook.

I wring the water out of my pigtails. "Okay."

"Now that was some exercise! And that Wendy wanted to fly me here! What a joke!"

"I see you're the same as always."

"Whuh...?" I look to the entrance to see who's there. "Why are you here?!"


	10. Chapter 10 - The Power of Pudding

Chapter 10

_Updated: 6/14/15_

* * *

Kate's POV

"We're back!" Luana and I announce as we enter the Vientown base.

"Welcome bac-Kate, why are you all wet?" Barlow asks, caught off-guard by my appearance.

"Did something happen?" Lunick asks. He just came back from somewhere, which I only know because we followed him in.

"Long story," I reply, walking towards the back of the base. "Luana can explain, I'm going to sleep," I say nonchalantly, walking to the bedroom.

"Wait, Kate, I want you to meet someone," Lunick suddenly calls to me.

Someone? Who is he talking about? Though that pricks my interest, I decline the offer.

"I'm tired, maybe next time." I wave back at him without looking and enter the bedroom. I change out of my wet clothes and flop onto the bed, Pachi getting on next to me.

"Chupa?" Pachi asks in concern.

I pat Pachi and the head. "I'm fine."

Looking up to the ceiling, I let my mind wander. What happened today...? How was I even affected by the Gigaremo thing? Luana didn't seem to be affected. And in the water... right before Brook jumped in... I saw my eyes... they didn't look or feel like mine...

Fiore... Kellyn was stationed in Fiore, wasn't he? I wonder how he's doing... I turn a bit pink and shake my head at the thought. How did my brain get there? Eh... I'm gonna blame Lunick for this.

Lunick's POV

I shiver out of the blue.

"Why do I get the feeling that someone's talking about me?" I ask nobody in particular.

"Kate told me what she found out on the way back." Luana frowns.

"It sounds like we're dealing with an organization called Team Dim Sun, and those machine thingies are called Gigaremos," I say, summarizing the information.

"So these things are called Gigaremos." Barlow puts a hand to his chin, then looks to me. "Why the long face, Lunick?"

"It's just that I wasn't there to help Kate... and they got away..."

"There's always next time," a calm voice says out of nowhere.

"That's right, there's always next time..." Barlow looks around. "Wait...Who said that?"

"Why were you hiding?" I turn around to face the boy. "I was gonna tell Kate, but she seems out of it."

"It's fine," he replies. "It looks like she's thinking for once."

"Hey! Long time no see!" Crawford greets cheerfully. A quick glance at my former apprentice's wrist causes him to do a double-take, followed by an exclamation of, "Whoa! You're already at that level?!"

He's about to answer back, but both of our Stylers ring before he can.

"Just when I found you wandering around Pueltown too..." I sigh, after reading the message.

"Orders are orders."

I turn to Barlow. "Looks like we're going to be leaving a little ahead of schedule. After Professor Hasting's done, would you mind escorting him back to the Union?"

"You can count on me." He grins, pounding his fist to his chest.

"We'll be off now, then. Tell Kate I said bye, and take care, Prof. Hasting!" The professor is too focused to hear me, though. Two Staraptor are waiting for us outside.

"You worry about her too much."

I chuckle. "She's like family to me, of course I'll be worried. But from the looks of it, so are you."

He turns away. My grin widens.

"Aw, you're blushing a little!" I tease.

"Shut up." He elbows me in the ribs.

"Ow..." I groan. "You need to loosen up."

He just rolls his eyes.

Next day, Kate's POV

"Wow Big Bertha! Thanks!" Crawford's voice wakes me up. I head outside to see everyone crowded around Bertha.

"What's happening...?" I ask sleepily, rubbing my eye.

"Chupa..." Pachi yawns.

"Morning, Kate!" Luana greets cheerfully.

"Kate, try this pudding that Big Bertha brought!" Barlow says.

"It's Miltank's way of thanking you for your hard work." Bertha comes towards me with the pudding. "Eat up! It'll give you a lot of energy!"

"T-thanks," I say hastily, taking the pudding and spooning some into my mouth. I take a moment to savor the creamy food, finding it to be quite delicious.

"It's good!" I smile. Pachi climbs up onto my shoulder, sniffing the pudding.

I scoop up some and hold it in front of Pachi. "Want some?"

"Chupa!" Pachi takes a bite and runs happily around the room. We laugh at the sight.

"I'm guessing you like it, huh?"

Big Bertha then heads to Ollie. "Now, you should eat some too."

"That guy refuses to open his mouth." Barlow informs her in a disparaging tone. "Just stick the spoon in his mouth and that'll be plenty."

"That's a bit rude... don'cha think?" I sweatdrop.

"Now look here, that's no way to treat anyone," Big Bertha lectures us. "He looks like the hungriest here."

"Did you feed Ollie at all yesterday?" I question, eyeing Barlow suspiciously as Big Bertha begins to treat Ollie like he's her own child or something. Barlow only whistles sheepishly and avoids eye contact.

"You're so cruel," Crawford deadpans.

"Are you being a hypocrite?" I glance at him. "You didn't do anything about it either, did you?"

Crawford gives a nervous chuckle.

"Well, don't try to blame me, since I've been in and out of the base," I add in dully.

"I tried to feed him, but he didn't seem to want to eat anything..." Luana says.

"Of course not," Crawford teases. "Why would anyone want to eat your cooking?"

Luana gives him a death stare and starts chasing him around the room.

"C'mere! I'm going to kill you!" Luana yells, threatening Crawford through grit teeth.

"Why would I come to you when you just said that?" Crawford laughs, running, away from Luana and generally contributing to the ruckus the both of them are causing.

I continue with my pudding, eating and causally standing despite what's going on around me. Man... I can't believe I've gotten used to this.

"Where did Lunick go?" I ask, suddenly realizing that he's not there.

"Oh, he got a message and had to go," Barlow answers. "And he told us to tell you he said bye."

"Huh..." I say absentmindedly. Too bad... it was fun with him around, despite his teasing.

Crawford knocks into me by accident, causing me to spill the rest of my pudding. I stare sadly at the perfectly good pudding on the ground, steadily getting angrier as Crawford and Luana continue to cause a ruckus.

"WILL YOU TWO QUIT IT?!" I rage, hitting them both with a mallet. I don't know where I got that from...

"Ow!" they both cry in unison, tears forming in their eyes. Everyone stares as if I've lost my mind.

"Thanks to you, I couldn't enjoy the rest of my pudding," I seethe, pointing to it lying on the ground.

"Sorry Kate," Crawford and Luana apologize. Crawford then points to the mallet in my hand.

"But where did you get that from?"

I look at it and throw it away without a care.

"No idea," I huff. Everyone continues to stare. Crawford guiltily gets a mop.

He is spared from teasing from his fellow Rangers when we all turn to Ollie, hearing sniveling and sobbing. Well, everyone except Elaine and Prof. Hasting. They're still engrossed in the Gigaremo.

"I... don't d-deserve... this..." he snivels. "...T-the fire... I... I was the one who caused it!"

Well, here comes the confession.

"I accidentally spilled oil on those Gigaremos! I was being clumsy!" Ollie explains as calmly as he can with tears streaming down his face. "A spark went and lit it and then the fire spread and... I don't even know those people! I meet one a long time ago and he said that I could make easy money if I helped him so I did... I didn't know what those machines were!"

"I'm sorry... it's all my fault..." Ollie snivels.

"It's Team Dim Sun's fault," I correct him. "You didn't know what you were getting yourself into."

"And the pudding... it was d-delicious..." Ollie continues to sob.

"There, there, child," Big Bertha coos. "Now how is he going to wipe away those tears when he's all tangled up? Someone untie these ropes."

Luana tries untying the ropes. "Ngh...! It won't budge! Kate, help!"

"Coming." We both try to pull the knots apart. "Hm..."

"Who tied these ropes?" Luana asks no one in particular. Crawford and Barlow point to one another.

"Don't blame it on the other one if you both did it," I say. Luana and I both roll our eyes.

"Elaine, got something in your gadget box that will help?" Luana asks. Elaine miraculously hears the request, searches through her tool box, and tosses over some sort of sharp tool.

"Thanks." I catch it and begin cutting the ropes.

"Much better now!" Luana cheers once I finish. I personally return the tool to Elaine, not wanting to toss around such a sharp thing again.

"Freedom at last!" Ollie exclaims, throwing up both of his fists.

"Don't overdo it, mister," Luana says sternly.

"R-right... sorry.." Ollie chuckles nervously.

"Now that you cleared up everything Ollie, you are free to go." Barlow grins. "You were just manipulated by those punks, so it's not your fault. But we do have to take caution from now on."

Barlow puts a hand to his chin. "Kate, I want you to patrol around town to see if anything's suspicious."

"Roger." I take Pachi and head out of the base, but am quickly halted.

"Kate, wait!" I look around to see Ollie coming out of the base. "...Could you do me a favor?"

I smile. "Sure hope it doesn't take too long."

He nods. "Can you take me to Chicole Village? There's... someone I want to see."

"Chicole Village..." I think for a bit. "Okay, it's not that far. And my family's there too, so I'll get to check on them as well."

...

"KAAATTTEEE!" a familiar voice screeches as we step into the village. Then my little sister pounces on me.

"Who-? Wha-?" I stutter, taken by surprise. "Lila, what's wrong?"

"T-there's... a-a g-g-ghost on the f-farm!" she stammers.

"A ghost?!" Ollie and I exclaim in unison.

"Big sis! You have to come help!" Lila says, dragging me by my hand.

"W-wait-!" I say quickly. "I-I have to-"

"This sounds more important than what I have to do, so take this as priority," Ollie cuts in.

"If you say so..." I trail off. We follow Lila to Partner Farm.

"Look!" Lila points to a hat in the middle of the farm, which suddenly moves erratically. "A ghost is in the hat!"

"Gah..." I flinch. "It really is a ghost," I mutter.

"Well, whatever it is, it's been moving around the farm and won't leave," my dad says with a bit of amusement.

"I-it's haunted...!" Ollie squeaks, hiding behind me. This kind of feels like that Trial of Courage thing back at school.

"Kate! Do something!" Lila demands.

"H-heh?!" I look to see Lila's scared face, then sigh in defeat.

"Fine..." Pachi and I cautiously walk closer to the brown hat, trying not to make a sound. I accidentally step on a twig, and it snaps. The hat takes alert and starts moving away.

"Hey, wait a minute!" I call, then mentally facepalm. What did I say that for? It probably doesn't even understand me.

Pachi and I chase it all over the farm while the other three watch. The wind suddenly starts blowing, and the hat topples over to reveal a Kricketot cowering under it.

"Huh?" I'm dumbfounded. "It's... only a Pokémon..."

The Pokémon panics and starts attacking me. I dodge out of the way and take out my Styler.

"C-capture on!" I say hastily, encircling the Kricketot with the disc. After a few seconds, a solid loop appears and encases the bug-type in a flash of light.

"Capture complete."

I holler at the other three. "Coast is clear! It's only a Kricketot!"

"It was a Pokémon?" Lila asks, coming over. I nod, motioning towards the bug-type, who is conversing with Pachi.

"Well I'll be," Dad says. "Guess we were worried over nothing."

"Dad... you didn't sound worried in the first place," I deadpan. He only chuckles.

"Aw... he's so cute~!" Lila squeals. I roll my eyes – she says that about every tiny Pokémon. "Can we keep him?"

"I'm not so sure about that... it is a wild Pokémon..." I reply.

"As long as it's okay with Kricketot, then it'll be okay with us," Dad answers.

"Chupa chupa!" Pachi explains to Kricketot, who nods in agreement.

"Yay~!" Lila suddenly cuddles the bug-type. "We can play in Partner Farm!"

"Don't choke the poor thing." I laugh.

"Since that's taken care of, can we get going?" Ollie suddenly says.

"R-right... sorry," I reply hastily.

"I'm just relieved it's not a ghost," Ollie says quietly.

"You and me both..." I wouldn't know how to react if I saw a real one.


	11. Chapter 11 - Underwater

Chapter 11 - Underwater

* * *

I take Ollie back to his "friend", who turns out to be his mom. I leave them alone and go on with my patrol. I help some of the townspeople who need it. One wants to see a Combee, and another wants to to crush the crates that washed up by the beach. Then, I have to break a boulder that had squashed a sign post near Breezy Hill so that a new one could be put up.

"I'm reporting back, there is nothing out of the ordinary," I say when I come back to base.

"Job well done," Barlow compliments.

"What's this?!" Prof. Hasting exclaims, looking closely at something. He then picks up what looks to be a tiny black crystal.

"Have you ever seen such a thing?" Prof. Hasting asks Elaine. She only shakes her head in response.

"Never seen anything like it in my life." She then smirks, holding up a hammer. "Want me to pulverize it so we can see the inside?"

All of us gave her a bewildered look as Prof. Hasting panics.

"No no! That's not necessary!" Prof. Hasting says hastily. "I'll take it back to the Union to have the scientists examine it."

"Darn..." Elaine says, disappointed, and puts the hammer away.

"We'll also hold a meeting to talk about these so-called Gigaremos," Prof. Hasting says. "Barlow, I will need you to come. We have much to prepare for the meeting."

"Roger that," Barlow replies, then turns to us. "Well team, I'll be out for the next day or two. Watch over the base while I'm gone and continue doing what you normally do... except for the joking and running around." He adds the last part quickly, knowing what some of us could and would do.

"C'mon..." Crawford whines. "You can trust us."

"I wouldn't trust you with my life." Luana growls.

Crawford tries to put on the innocent act. "Why can't I be trusted?"

Barlow sighs. "What am I going to do with you guys?"

"Don't worry, Elaine and Lyla are here to watch," I reassure him, motioning to the mechanic and the operator**(I don'****t know her name so I'm just making one up)**. "We'll see ya later."

"Right, see you guys." Barlow waves and exits with Prof. Hasting.

"No flying, that's all I ask of you," we hear Prof. Hasting plead. We can't help but laugh.

"He's a funny guy, that Prof. Hasting," Crawford comments after we manage to contain our laughter.

...

Ringing wakes me up in the morning.

"AHH!" I shout, falling head first off the bed. "Ugh..."

I pick myself up and rub my aching head.

"Chupa..." Pachi yawns.

"Kate, are you okay?" Luana asks, having opened the door to my room after hearing my shout.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply. I then realize that I have a call on my styler.

"Who calls this early in the morning?" I groan.

"Actually... it's 11 AM right now, give or take a few minutes," Luana corrects. I stare at her groggily, then yawn.

"Well, that's a normal time to wake up at. You guys just wake me up too early with your usual shouting and stuff."

"It is rather quiet today," Luana comments, seeming to come to a realization. "Crawford's on an early morning mission."

"Early bird," I comment.

My styler continues to ring. "Oh, right! The call."

"Kate here," I answer.

"Kate? What took you so long to pick up?" It's Barlow and he sounds irritated.

"Uh... Hehe... I guess... I overslept and didn't hear it 'till later?" I sheepishly reply. Barlow sighs on the other end.

"So... what did cha need?" I ask, changing the subject.

"We have a bit of a situation here, so would you mind coming to Pueltown?" Barlow asks.

"Why me?" I ask, curious. *Asking kinda implies she's curious. But you can leave it in if you want.*

"Luana's going to be on patrol duty and Crawford's on a mission." Barlow replies. "Or so Luana told me."

"So I'm your last choice?" I say, pretending to sound hurt.

"N-no! I didn't mean that!" Barlow replies hastily. I smirk while Luana giggles.

"Relax, I was only joking." I chuckle. "I'll be there in a jiff."

I end the call before he can say anything else and stretch. "Guess I have to get ready quickly and go."

...

Barlow is waiting by the road into Pueltown.

"Good morning," I greet.

"It's 11:59 am," Barlow deadpans.

"Technically...nevermind." I sigh, not feeling like countering back.

"Anyways, here's the situation." Barlow begins explaining.

It took around 5 minutes to explain that the Norward Bridge have not been lowered since yesterday and that he and Prof. Hasting spent the whole last night at the Ranger Depot.

"Does he hate flying that much?" I sigh. "And y'know, couldn't you have explained it to me while we were heading to the bridge?"

"Uh..." Barlow is unable to find a response. I shake my head in amusement.

"Let's not waste any more time," I say, as we head for Norward Bridge.

"Ah, you're finally here!" Prof. Hasting exclaims cheerfully.

"Good.. err... afternoon... hehe..." I greet him sheepishly.

"Good afternoon indeed," Prof. Hasting says, brushing his beard with his hand.

"The bridge is down, we need to get to the Union, and the bridge operator is nowhere to be found! How are we supposed to get across?! And we're not going to fly!" Prof. Hasting suddenly says, all of the words frantically coming out in less than 30 seconds.

I stare blankly at his state of panic. Barlow brushes it off.

"He's just stressed about the chance that he might have to fly."

"Oh," I say with raised eyebrows. I wonder what made him hate flying so much?

"So, the bridge operator is Brook." Barlow informs me. "He means well, but he tends to end up just spinning his wheels."

"I can imagine that," I say, thinking about how he jumped into the ocean to give chase to a motorboat.

"Did you say Brook?" A lady passing by says. She must have overheard our conversation. "I saw him in the harbor earlier."

I give Barlow a look. "Well, isn't that convenient..."

He laughs sheepishly. "Didn't see that coming."

We head to the harbor to see the pink-haired guy staring across the sea.

"What to do, what to do," he mutters calmly, tapping his sandals.

"Hey Brook!" Barlow hollers. Brook hears him and turns around.

"We need you to lower the bridge so that we can get through," Barlow says.

"I would love to, but..." Brook trails off.

"But?" Barlow and I repeat in unison.

"But I seem to have dropped the key into the ocean when I was swimming after those crooks. It probably sank to the bottom by now. "

Barlow and I are stunned into silence. It's so quiet, you can hear the breeze coming off of the ocean.

"Seriously?" I say flatly, finally breaking the silence.

"Dude, how can you be so calm right now?" Barlow asks flatly.

"Good point..." Brook says in revelation.

"OH CRAP! THE KEY SANK TO THE BOTTOM! WHAT SHOULD WE DO?! WHAT SHOULD WE DO?!" Brook suddenly exclaims. He even starts running in circles.

"I guess we'll just have to fish for it," I sigh.

"Good idea," Brook comments, suddenly stopping his panic attack. "I'll ask a captain to get us out to sea."

"Erm..." Barlow looks nervous. "Since... you suggested it... why don't you do the honors Kate? I... I'll stay ashore... I-err... work better on land..."

I glance curiously at him. "Are you afraid of diving?"

"W-what? O-of course not!" Barlow suddenly becomes flustered.

"Liar." I deadpan.

"Anyways... here, take this Micro Aqualung." He hands me a red object that looks like the mouth piece of a scuba gear. Brook comes back with a motorboat.

"Let's get going!" Brook hollers from aboard the boat.

"Okay, so just swim down to get the key and then swim back up," Barlow instructs.

He makes sound so simple...

I board the boat and Brook tells the captain to take us out to the middle of the ocean.

"I think it's around here," Brook informs me. "But be careful of the fast-moving currents."

I crouch down to pat Pachi. "Sorry, but I can't take you with me this time."

My partner Pokémon looks sad but nods in understanding.

I put the Micro Aqualung in my mouth and dive down. I gotta admit, the underwater world is pretty nice. The corals, the different Pokémon swimming here and there, and the overall beautiful and peaceful atmosphere are very relaxing.

Where is the key... I wonder to myself. A Mantine swims past me. It almost seems as if it's flying through the water. I send out the disc to capture it. After whirling around in circles, the Pokémon is encased by a solid circle and a flash of light, signaling a successful capture.

I signal Mantine to help me travel through this underwater world. Grabbing onto the water Pokémon, we search throughout the area. Then, I see something glint in the water. When I squint, I see that it's a key.

Found it...Not. A Sharpedo rushes past, grabbing the shiny key in his mouth.

"Mantine! Chase after it!" I mumble through the aqualung. Oh hey, I can talk through this thing...kinda. In the middle of the chase, I get a call.

_You gotta be kidding me..._ I thought, exasperated. In the distance, I can see a underwater current.

"Mantine, use the current to catch up to Sharpedo!" I command. Then, I answer the call.

"I'm kinda busy right now..." I mumble.

"What's the status?" Barlow asks, not having heard my previous comment.

"A Sharpedo took the key, get the picture?" I ask. "I'm giving chase so I'll call you later."

"Man!" Mantine cries to my attention and motions towards the Sharpedo. We're getting closer and closer to it that my disc and reach Sharpedo. I aim my styler at the water type pokemon and fire my disc at it.

"Capture on!" We're having a race while I'm doing the capturing. I have to control the disc to keep up with Sharpedo's speed while working the my way around the reef. The pokemon break through the line my disc created but I tried again though it is difficult with Sharpedo moving really fast and Mantine having to steer clear of obstacles such as schools of Finneon, coral reef, and passerby water type pokemon. After a while, I finally got Sharpedo.

"Capture complete." I put the disc back into place. "Sharpedo, stop!"

The Pokémon obeys my command, but it looks terribly sick.

"Oh no..." I say, appalled at what I'm about to do.

...

"You found it?" Brook asks after I arrive up on the surface with Mantine.

"Yeah..." I reply. "Thanks Mantine."

I climb up onto the boat and sit down.

"I'll be honest, I thought there would be no chance of ever getting the key back."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I say sarcastically. We travel back to shore, where Barlow is waiting for us.

"You're back!" Barlow exclaims, sounding relieved. "Wasn't it rough in the water? You weren't intimidated? You opened your eyes down there? What happened-"

I have extend a hand to stop him from tossing me one question per second.

"To answer all of that, it's not that bad if you ignore the fact that I had to go into a Sharpedo's mouth to retrieve the key that it was choking on," I say nonchalantly. I mean, it's over with now... been there done that.

Brook and Barlow's jaws drop. They're apparently dumbfounded by the fact that I would actually stick myself into a Sharpedo's mouth... well, my arm and head, anyways.

I shiver. It's not a fond memory... all those teeth...

"You know... you're starting to really, really impress me," Barlow suddenly says.

"Um... thanks," I say, slightly embarrassed. I then hand the key to Brook, who nearly drops it again. I have to take his hand, put the key in it, and then close his hand so he can hold onto it.

* * *

**End of this chapter.**

**And thanks to Nighttyger for helping me proofread this!**


	12. Chapter 12 - A Tour And a Meeting

Chapter 12 - A Tour and A Meeting

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

* * *

So, we got the key, I dried myself with the help of a Growlithe I captured, we went back to Norward bridge, Brook lowered it and – voilá! Everything is as it should be, except for the fact that Prof. Hastings is a little too overjoyed at the fact that he doesn't need to fly anymore.

"Professor!" shouts a voice that sounds a little familiar.

"Ah, Murph, what is it?" Prof. Hastings inquires, now calm. Murph? That's his name? I seem to know him from somewhere, but I can't pinpoint it.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" pants a tired Murph. "When you didn't return to the Union yesterday like you said you would, I got really worried!"

"No need to worry about that! Anyways, we need to reach the Ranger Union so that we can discuss those Gigaremos! Onward, Barlow!"

"Y-yes... sir...?" Barlow doesn't seem to know how else to respond to that as he follows Prof. Hastings to the Union. No offense to him or anything, but Prof. Hastings is kind of weird.

Murph and I stay rooted to our spots, watching the two blankly as they disappear from sight.

"..." Silence befalls the two of us. It starts getting awkward, though, so I decide to break it.

"Hey, Murph right?" I ask for confirmation.

"Ya-huh," The man nods with a smile.

"Have I seen you from somewhere?" I raise an eyebrow. "You look familiar, and your name is too."

Silence settles upon us again as he mulls over my statement of where I have seen him before. This situation is kind of awkward...

"Now that you mention it..." Murph taps his head, trying to remember. "What's your name?"

"My name's Kate, Kate Hitomi."

"Aha!" Murph exclaims. He must have had a revelation. Then points a finger at me. "You're Lunick's sister, right?"

"We're not related but we treat each other like siblings," I reply.

"I'm Lunick's friend, I used to be a ranger, and I worked in the same base as him and Solana!" Murph gives a friendly smile. "They tried to introduce me to you, but you were attacked by wild Pokémon! Honestly, that wasn't the best introduction..."

"Ah!" I slam my fist into my palm in realization. "Yeah, that was horrible."

"So you've become a ranger now?" Murph asks rhetorically, looking at my uniform.

"Mmhm!" I nod happily. "And this is my partner Pachi."

"Chupa!" greets the happy electric-type.

"Nice to meet you Pachi! Y'know, I decided to switch from being a ranger." Murph grins sheepishly. "Now I'm a PR officer at the Union, which means I have access to all kinds of info in the Ranger database!"

Oooh~ Any kind of information? Now that sounds interesting, maybe he knows how my friends are doing at their jobs!

"Anyways, did you just finish a mission?"

"Yep! Alive and well out of a Sharpedo's mouth!" I grin, giving him a thumbs up.

"...I don't wanna know what you did..." Murph sweatdrops. "But you're probably tired, so want to head to the park up ahead to goof-er, I mean to relax?"

I giggle at his mistake. "Sure!"

Pachi and I follow him to the park, which is named Altru Park. It's a peaceful sight. Neat grass and pretty flowers are laid everywhere, separated by cement walkways and trimmed hedges. Benches are placed short distances from each other, inviting weary park-goers to take a seat. People stroll and sit all around, and soothing fountains flow with gushing water. In the center of all of this is a stage like one that a typical band would perform at. It is surrounded by grass, with a few trees behind it. A water moat winds around the place, making it look like a little rectangular island with only has one path to enter and exit from.

"This place's pretty ni-" Before I can finish my sentence, someone crashes into me.

"Ow..." both of us groan.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there," the mystery person apologizes. His voice is a bit familiar, similar to my situation earlier.

"No, it's my fault for just standing around," I return the apology while rubbing my behind.

"Chupa?" Pachi looks at me with worry.

"Kate! Are you okay?" Murph comes over to us and looks at me with as much concern as Pachi.

"Kate? No wonder you sound familiar!"

"Hah?" I look forward to see a blonde boy with a mushroom-style haircut wearing a white lab coat. "Isaac!"

I seem to be bumping into a lot of friendly faces today.

"So you remember me too!" Isaac gives me a friendly smile, then we both stand up.

"You two know each other?" Murph has his head tilted slightly.

"Yeah, this is Isaac," I introduce. "He was a schoolmate of mine at the Ranger School."

"Nice to meet you!" Isaac extends a hand for a friendly handshake, which Murph takes gladly.

"Same here, name's Murph by the way!"

"Oh! You guys want to take a tour of my work place?" Isaac offers out of the blue. "It's nearby."

"Why not?" I shrug.

"Absolutely!" Murph responds cheerfully. Isaac leads us to a giant purple building with a lot of glass windows a short distance from the park. On the ground in front of the entrance is a large purple flame design.

"This place is huge!" I stand gawking at the building for a moment.

"The name of this building is Altru Tower, but that is only temporary," Isaac informs us. "There is a contest to decide the permanent name."

"Oh oh!" Murph proceeds to raise his hand like he is in class or something. "I know that! I sent in the name "Muscle Tower"! Doesn't it sound powerful?"

Isaac, Pachi, and I only give him a look that says: "Seriously"?

Murph doesn't seem to notice due to his happy mood. "I hope it gets picked!"

In my mind, I plead that it doesn't. That's probably what Isaac is thinking too, judging from the look on his face.

"You work here?" I ask, snapping out from my thought.

"Yep, Altru Inc," Isaac responds. At the entrance, there are two security guards standing alert, but we enter without a problem.

"The ground floor serves as an exhibition level where visitors are welcomed."

I look around and see many different kinds of things in glass cases, all with labels. In the middle, there is a long purple carpet that leads to an elevator. Someone must really like the color purple.

"The portraits over there are the presidents of Altru Inc. over the years of its existence." While Murph is fascinated by the different objects in the cases, I take a look at the three portraits. Doyle M. Hall, Brighton Hall, and, as Isaac informs me, Blake Hall, whose portrait is the last one on the right. He's wearing black glasses.

"He's the current president of Altru Inc."

At this moment, I get another call.

"Sorry," I apologize before I answer the call. "Hello?"

"Kate, we need you to help us with the meeting discussing the Gigaremos," Barlow says, "since Luana told me that you know how they work. Bring something that can destroy a red one."

"Okay," I reply simply.

"Oh, and tell Murph to show you where the Union HQ is." With that, Barlow ends the call. I have a weird on look on my face. How does he know that Murph is with me right now? For all he knows, one or both of us might have gone back to our respective bases.

"Something wrong?" Isaac inquire. I shake my head.

"Sorry, we'll have to end the tour," I say apologeticly. "Murph and I are needed at the Ranger Union."

"That's fine!" Isaac gives an understanding smile. I call Murph over and tell him about Barlow's call. We bid goodbye to Isaac and make out way out of the building. As we're leaving, a man wearing black glasses and a black business suit catches my eyes. He's entering with a green-haired man wearing a lot of ghost-white makeup, who is grinning widely. **(He reminds me of Joker from Batman.)**

Something about the man in black causes uneasiness inside me. It's as if there is a dark aura hanging over him. However, I remind myself that I don't have time for such vague feelings as we head out of Altru Tower. Murph leads Pachi and I towards the Ranger Union, which is to the west of Altru Tower. On the way, we pass by log cabins with the occasional stump next to them, which often have axes stuck in them, and Oddish being shy and digging holes to bury themselves in. I find a water type, a Bibarel, so I decide to capture it for the red Gigaremo.

"Capture on!" The released disc circles around the Bibarel. The Pokémon attempts to attack with a continuous Water Gun, but I avoid the attack. The Bibarel doesn't make much effort to run, which makes it a bit easier since I don't have to chase it like I did with Sharpedo. The disc circles around the water-type Pokémon until a solid ring appears and quickly envelopes it in a flash of light.

"Capture complete!" I declare as I return the disc to my styler. "Now we just need to get to the Union HQ!"

We reach the Ranger Union in no time flat, but the flight of stairs leading up to it is tiring. The building is pretty tall, but it doesn't compare to how tall Altru Tower is. There is apparently a tree on top of the building.

"Is there a... tree up there?" I ask skeptically.

"Yeah," Murph casually replies, ignoring my look of surprise. "C'mon, let's go in!"

Bibarel follows us into the building while Pachi perches on my shoulder. Inside, there is an escalator to the left and an information desk in front of me. The first floor is very spacious, with townspeople reporting in for help and workers here and there. The blue and white Ranger Union emblem is printed on the tile floor.

"This is where I work," Murph says proudly, showing me the place. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to into my professional work mode."

I raise an eyebrow. Professional work mode?

"If you take the escalator on your left, you'll get to the Conference Room, which is on the second floor."

"Ah, thanks!" As Murph instructed, the Pokémon and I take the escalator up to the second floor and find the room in the middle to be labeled 'The Conference Room'.

I peek inside to see what's going on. This room is also pretty big. The floor in this particular room looks as through it's a computer screen and shows the whole Almia region. A few researchers, Pokémon Rangers, including Barlow, an elderly woman, and Prof. Hastings stand surrounding a red, working Gigaremo, though this one doesn't seem to emit any of the harmful sounds.

"There you are!" Barlow exclaims, noticing me as I completely enter the room. With his comment, everyone's curious eyes are on me, which makes me smile awkwardly.

"This is Kate, the prize rookie that I was talking about!" Barlow introduces me to everyone. I stare at him with wide eyes at the compliment.

Prize rookie? Since when was I called that?

"This up-and-coming Ranger figured out how to stop the Gigaremo units." Barlow gives me a grin. "Give them a demonstration, Kate!"

He gives me a pat on the shoulder with such force that I stumble forward.

"And sorry to spring this up on you so suddenly."

"O-okay..."

I command Bibarel to use Water Gun on the Gigaremo, and the machine is destroyed in an instant. I thank Bibarel and pat the Pokémon on its head.

"The Gigaremo units can be destroyed using the method you just witnessed, but also keep in mind that there are different ones that run on different power. These various types are distinguished by their colors," Prof. Hastings explains. "With the help of Pokémon, these units can be destroyed. Now get that information sent to all Rangers."

The professor turns to me and gives me a sincere thanks for coming all the way here to demonstrate.

"No problem, I was in the area anyways." I grin sheepishly. After the red Gigaremo is moved away, Prof. Hastings takes the center.

"Incidentally, did you all notice something peculiar about that particular machine?"

"They didn't affect the Pokémon?" I say, to which Prof. Hastings nods.

Suddenly, the floor screen begins to pop up data about the Gigaremo, with a diagram showing a diamond-shaped section in the middle of the Gigaremo taking focus. This is kinda cool.

"Does everyone see that diamond in this diagram?" We all nod in response.

"That small black stone was in the red Gigaremo, but I removed it when I had the machine rebuilt. It would seem that it is this black stone that hypnotizes Pokémon and that without it, the Gigaremo units are harmless."

The information on the floor slowly disappears until it only shows the Almia region again.

"That stone clearly embodies some mysterious power."

Barlow then says that "We will have to destroy them one by one until we come up with a solution to end all of this once and for all." Then, a Ranger lady with wavy green hair speaks.

"The Union is already working hard to analyze the black stone and have also launched an investigation on Team Dim Sun," the lady says firmly. I think her name is Wendy, I saw an article about her and Sven being Top Rangers.

"Excuse me, rookie," Wendy calls my attention. "Would you mind answering some questions for me?"

I nod and she begins asking me lots of questions, mostly about Team Dim Sun and the Gigaremo, particularly about what they did or what the Gigaremo can do.

The elderly woman speaks. Her name is Erma and she is the Chairperson of the Union - I also read that in the Almia Times.

She summarizes the threat that Team Dim Sun is bringing to Almia and that the Rangers are here to serve the populace and work together to protect the peace. With that, Chairperson Erma leaves, followed by Prof. Hastings, Wendy, and a researcher.

Barlow turns to me. "I have matters to discuss with Prof. Hastings, so feel free to explore and introduce yourselves to everyone. I'll be in the Research Room when you're done."

"You got it!" I grin, following him out and then doing as he told me - explore!


	13. Chapter 13 - Peril in Peril Cliffs!

Chapter 13 - Peril in Peril Cliffs

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

* * *

I head outside to release Bibarel, then go around the HQ observing what the workers are doing. The HQ has four floors, with the top floor having tree on it. I can't really tell if it's real or not. The leaves and outstretched branches function as the roof for the HQ. It looks like there is a pond behind the huge tree, and there's even grass and a few flowers! I head down to the operation floor where the operators work. There's so many buttons tempting me to push them, but I restrain myself from touching them. The huge screen panels show various data on subjects ranging from the status of the HQ to critical missions that Rangers are currently carrying out. While watching the screens and the Operators giving instructions through their headsets, I catch a bit of what one is saying.

"Did you reach Sinnoh?"

"It is confirmed that the kidnapped Riolu is located at a security-tight building. I'll send the data to you."

The operator types in some commands on the computer.

"Be sure to look out for Hunter J as well."

A kidnapped Riolu, huh? I hope that whoever it is saves the Pokémon. And Hunter J... isn't she a infamous Pokémon poacher in Sinnoh?

While deep in thought, I accidentally lean on some random buttons. I jump in alarm as the room flashes red and sirens start to go off.

"YIKES!" I yelp, stepping back and knocking the Operator that was talking earlier out of their chair.

"OW!" The line she was talking through was suddenly put on speakers.

"Is everything okay over there?" The Ranger on the other end asks. Strange... his voice sounds so familiar - but I don't have time to think about that!

"I'M SO SORRY!" I apologize hastily to the Operator I knocked down. While the room becomes alert and everyone rushes around to stop whatever trouble I unknowingly caused, I dash out on instinct to prevent myself from making even more mistakes.

Okaaayy... time to find Barlow. I hope he's still in the Research Room with Prof. Hastings, unknowing of the trouble I caused.

"BARLOW!" I exclaim once I step through the Research Room door. The people in there give me weird looks.

"Oops!" I cover my mouth once I realize how loud I was.

"Yes Kate?" comes Barlow's voice. I look ahead to meet the blank looks of Barlow and Prof. Hastings.

"I uh... I'm finished touring the Union HQ," I say as calm as I can manage, inwardly hoping they haven't noticed the chaos on the floor above them.

"That's great and just on time too, I was going to look for you to tell you that we'll be spending the night at the Union."

Say wha...? I turn pale instantly. I have the whole night to possibly cause more problems?!

Barlow notices my reaction and furrows his brows. "Why are you so pale? Did something happen?"

I stiffen up and chuckle nervously. "N-No... e-everything is absolutely normal!"

...Except for the third floor.

At that moment, Prof. Hastings receives a call.

"The operation floor is WHAT?!"

Uh oh. "Um... see ya tomorrow chief!" I zoom out of the room before they can do anything.

"KATE!" Barlow's voice roars throughout the building. This is gonna be some night...

* * *

The Ranger's POV

Somewhere in Sinnoh...

"Thanks, I got the-" Before I can finish, I hear sirens through my Fine Styler.

"OW!" Linda shouts through the communicator.

"Is everything okay over there?" I ask.

"I'M SO SORRY!" The voice is so loud that I have to move my Styler away from myself.

That voice... is that...?

"Yeah, everything is getting back under control," Linda replies a few moments later with a bit of strain in her voice. "Some rookie ranger messed with the operation room and knocked me over."

I can still hear the sirens.

"Rookie ranger?"

"Twin tails, spiky brown hair," she describes with fuming anger in her voice. "Couldn't quite catch her face since she zoomed out of the room right after. Ugh, gotta set everything back to normal. You got the data though, right? I gotta fix this. CALM DOWN EVERYONE!"

She hangs up right after that. I sweatdrop.

Spiky brown hair? Twin tails? Causing trouble?

I slap a hand to my face. I knew it...

"Kate..."

I fear for the state of the HQ if she becomes a Top Ranger if she's already caused this much trouble when she is still a 'rookie' according to Linda.

Wait... why is she at the Union HQ?

* * *

Pachi and I ended up spending the night in a tree outside of the Union, knowing that it would be troublesome spending the night inside.

"Kate! Wake up!" Barlow's voice bellows.

"Wha... WAH!" I lose my balance when I open my eyes. In less than a second, Pachi and I are face to face with the ground.

"You could've still slept in the Union even though you caused all that chaos," Barlow says, folding his arms. "We all forgave you."

"Well... I didn't want to risk causing any more problems," I reply stiffly, rubbing my sore back. Pachi yawns and climbs onto my shoulder to nuzzle me.

"Good morning to you too," I say, smiling and patting Pachi on the head.

"Let's get back to the Vientown base!" Barlow says, and I get up and follow him down the steps that lead up to the Union HQ.

On the way back, the ground starts to tremble.

"Yikes!" I yelp, falling to the ground for the second time today.

"What is that?" Barlow asks no one in particular.

"An earthquake maybe?" I say aloud.

"Chupa chupa!" Pachi tries to get our attention, and then leads us to Peril Cliff where the quake is much stronger.

"Looks like the earthquake isn't natural," observes Barlow. Well thanks, Captain Obvious.

"Time to take a look." I sigh heavily, looking at how much we have to climb. After some extreme rock climbing, dodging tackling Gligar and calming down some Pokémon that havd been disturbed by the unnatural tremors, we get to- "What is this giant leaf thingy?" I ask.

I poke at it and then stand on top of it to get a better look.

"Careful! That's a springy leaf pa-"

"AHHH!"

"...that launches you into the air..."

"SAY IT BEFORE I ACTUALLY STEP ON IT!" I retort in midair. After a moment, I land on my behind on another leaf and the same thing happens. The next one causes me to hit a passing Staravia.

"Yikes!" I look down with fear and see a really long drop. Then I look to my right. There's a spot where I might be able to land – but it's on the other side of a cliff, too far for me to get to. Unless... I look up at the Staravia, which I had grabbed onto out of instinct. It's eyes are closed, so I yell at it, but it doesn't respond. Starvaia must have been knocked out when I hit it.

"This is not good!" I mutter and look around in desperation as I began to fall.

"Staravia! Wake up!" I shake the Pokémon vigorously. I can feel myself starting to panic – never a good thing.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" I yell frantically. "Please wake up!"

The Staravia flinches a bit and slowly starts to regain consciousness.

"YES!" I exclaim. "Capture on!"

With Staravia not knowing what is going on, it is really easy to capture - no resistance.

Then I look down to see the head of a man wearing a black beanie. It looks like I'll be landing on him if I don't do something. "CRAP!"

I ask Staravia to help me out of the situation.

"Star!" Staravia places its talons into the back of my uniform and tries its best. I do slow down a bit, but I'm still falling. I clench my teeth and mentally curse gravity.

Suddenly, Staravia's grip slips and I start falling down at full speed. Oh well, better warn the man that I'm coming down.

"LOOK OUT BE-"

THUD!

Oops, hehe... too late. I headbutt into him and we both crash onto the ground, eyes swirling around and Staravia flying around our heads. Only the sound of something crumbling and the still-constant tremors wake me up.

"Whuh...?" I temporarily forget where I am as I look at two Rampardos crashing into the side of the mountain. Is that normal...?

Then I notice that their eyes are lifeless and hear that weird noise again. It sounds like it came from the machine that is placed in front of me, which, in my defense, I just noticed.

"What's happen-WAH!"

"GET OFF ME!" The man pushes me to the ground face first. That's when I realize that the man I fell on top of is none other than a Team Dim Sun grunt. I glare at the man.

"What do you think you're doing?" I ask him.

"I err... I'm a scientist studying on dirt." He staggers a little. Dirt? Seriously? That's the best excuse he has?

"Then tell me what the dirt of Peril Cliff is composed of," I demand leisurely, knowing that he won't be able to answer my question.

"Well um... it's dirt and... minerals... and dirt..." I snicker as he tries to come up with a response.

"ARGH! Forget it!" He types in some command on a case-like machine standing on four legs. "Get her!"

The two Rampardos suddenly stop charging at the wall and run after me. I can't really capture both of them at the same time. I ask Staravia to slow them down, but the attacks aren't working.

Not good, I think as Staravia and I start to flee. So those case things act like Gigaremos. Speaking of which, I see a barricade of Pokémon and two yellow ones up ahead. I jump over the Pokémon and Gigaremos. The Pokémon start chasing after me, but then get ran over by the two large fossil Pokémon. I lead Rampardos charging at the Gigaremos in their attempt to chase after me.

"That's one way to destroy them..." I mutter in amusement, but I feel my legs giving out.

"Kate!" I look up to a cliff above me and see Barlow and Pachi.

"A little help would be nice!" I call to them, but then I think of something. "Actually, I want to try something first!"

I begin running back to where the Team Dim Sun grunt was to see him laughing on the ground. I glare daggers at him and then flip over him.

"What are you-" I stop him, turn around, and point toward the Rampardos and grin. The grunt widens his eyes in shock as the two Rampardos trample over him and the machine. They stop a few inches in front of me, finally out of the control of that Gigaremo thingy. They look around, confused, then leave.

I sigh in relief and collapse to the ground in exhaustion. "Too close..."

The grunt stood up limply and made his escape.

"H-Hey!" I call to him but he is already a speck of dot.

"That was amazing!" Barlow exclaims in awe as he and Pachi approach me.

"Where have you two been?!"

"Well we had to take the long way down since that was such a long drop." Barlow explains. "And there were two other yellow Gigaremo on our way here, which we managed to destroy."

Pachi approaches me with a worried expression.

"I'm okay, just tired."

...

Barlow and I capture a Doduo each and ride them back to Vientown, though Barlow got ahead of me. I didn't mind, though, as I fell behind because I helped some people out on my way back.

"What took you so long Kate?" Barlow asks once I got back. He flashes a grin of victory at me. I roll my eyes.

"It wasn't a race."

"Kate, I'm so jealous that you got to spend a night at the Union!" Luana shouts. Then she starts launching millions of questions at me. "How was it? What is it like? What happened? What did you do there?"

Hearing all those questions makes my head spin. Barlow laughs.

"You look tired Kate, you take a good rest for today. You deserve it after doing an amazing job today!"

"Thanks," I say with no energy in my voice as I drag away from the questioning Luana. "Ask Barlow, he knows."

Before I drift off to sleep with Pachi beside me, I hear everyone outside shouting, "WHAT?!"

Looks like Barlow told them about the 'little mishap'.


	14. Chapter 14 - Teacher For A Day!

Chapter 14 - Teacher For A Day!

* * *

As I leave my room, I notice something – or rather, someone - is missing.

"Morning Kate!" Luana greets with her usual energy.

"Morning," I say nonchalantly, then look trying to see what is missing. "So... where's Barlow?"

"He's on a mission right now so...I'm the leader for the day!" Crawford explains with a huge grin. "So let's parteh!"

I deadpan, "What?"

"...So why are you leader again...?" Luana asks, agitation clearly visible in her words.

"Geez! I was just joking about the party!" Crawford says meekly. "I'm not that irresponsible, right Elaine?"

He turns to the Mechanic for support.

She simply drinks her coffee. "All I know is that I'm gonna need a lot of coffee to survive the day."

Snickers travel around the room.

"What's wrong with me being the leader?" Crawford sweatdrops.

"I got a whole list of never ending reasons," Luana says with a straight face. "Want me to list them off for you? Let's see... you have an afro, can't be taken seriously, goof off too much, lame jokes, your laugh is annoying but so is everything else, obnoxious, irresponsible..."

Luana continues on and on, shooting verbal arrows at Crawford.

"You guys are so heartless," Crawford remarks, hanging his head in shame, then turning his attention to me.

"Anywaayyys... Kate, do you remember the Pokemon Ranger School's outdoor class?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Each year, we send one of our members to teach the class."

I nod, urging him to go on.

"Barlow was supposed to go this year, but, as you can see, he's not available at the moment."

"So..." I'm trying to put what he said together.

"So, Barlow told me to send you instead!" He finishes with a thumbs up.

I blink several times before reacting. "WHAAATTT?!"

Everyone else has to cover their ears because of my scream.

"C-can't someone else do it?" I stutter. Teaching is not really my ideal job...

"No can do, kiddo," Crawford says sternly.

"But I- wait, I thought you're the leader for the day," I deadpan. "So why can't you change it?"

Crawford does a double take on that. "Err..."

Luana laughs. "She got you there!"

Crawford shoots a glare at Luana before coming up with an answer. "Because... I went last year, Luana will not be able to attend, and Barlow's not here. He also said it'll be a great experience for you, and I agree."

That's... actually a reasonable answer.

"So... why can't you go again this year?" I narrow my eyes at the man. Crawford is acting... a little out of character.

"When has there ever been a rule that states you can't go for two consecutive years?"

"There is one NOW," he replies strictly.

"You're acting too stern," I pout. "Where is our Crawford and what have you done to him?"

Crawford turns red in embarrassment, and everyone else suppresses the urge to laugh.

"He's not available today," Crawford finally says.

"Then give me all the reasons why I have to go and why can't I switch places with you or Luana," I demand.

"Oh for the love of - BECAUSE I SAID SO!" Crawford exclaims frustratedly. Ah, now that is the answer that I'm looking for.

"I'm trying to be leader-like here! Give me a break!"

I smirk inwardly... hehe, a mental breakdown, not that I'm trying to achieve that, yep, definitely not trying.

Luana tuts. "We don't give Barlow a break, so why should you get one?" Crawford groans.

"Kate, just go will ya?" he pleads. "No more complaints."

I stifle a giggle and head out, but not before giving a two finger salute. "Roger!"

* * *

Normal POV

Crawford sulks in the corner as Kate leaves for her one day teaching career... well, not exactly teaching, just answering whatever questions the students may have.

"I'm getting a headache already..." the afro man mopes. "Maybe I'm not suited for to the job after all."

"Oh, cheer up, Crawford!" Luana comforts. "Kate was only trying to get you to be yourself!"

"We were all just testing you," Elaine says kindly.

"You didn't have to give me a headache while you were at it."

"Crawford, there is no one else fit to replace Barlow," Luana says, targeting his pride. "We need your your leadership when he is not around. Your jokes and goofiness cheers us up!"

"Well, if you put it that way..." Crawford gets up, head held high with new found confidence. "I guess I'm really am the only one who can be leader when Barlow's not around."

"Now that's the Crawford we know!" Luana cheers, then walks away. "Oh, and I was only kidding about what I said before."

Crawford is speechless, but doesn't sulk like last time.

"You really know which spots to hit," Lyla, the Operator, remarks.

"Of course," Luana replies haughtily with a wink.

* * *

Kate's POV

Pachi and I decide to race to the Ranger School, but we stop when we see something up ahead on the bridge connecting to the school grounds. It looks like a duo of Team Dim Sun grunts standing near a case-like machine standing on four legs, and a Croagunk walking in circles.

"Hehe, this Mini Gigaremo is amazing!" One of them remarks. "It's easier to move than those fire hydrant-sized ones."

"And it does the same job!" The other one of the duo laughs. "Just look at what we can make this stupid Croagunk do!"

I just stand there, staring at them out in the open. Are they idiots?

"Do a spin and dance like a ballerina!" One of them commands. The Croagunk obeys immediately, twirling and dancing around.

I clear my throat to make myself known.

"Wha - since when did a Ranger get here!?" The other grunt exclaims, finally noticing me.

"I've been here the whole time you were immersed in your little device," I deadpan.

They turn red in embarrassment. "W-we'll show you! Croagunk, get her!"

One of them begins typing randomly on the 'Mini Gigaremo', as they called it. Suddenly, the machine releases a small explosion.

"What did you do?!" the other one panics.

"I-I don't know!"

...Yep, idiots.

"Anytime now." I fold my arms and tap my foot as they prance around their machine. Croagunk is rooted in one spot, motionless.

"I have to get to school so..." I aim my Styler at the Croagunk. "Capture on!"

The disc goes around and around the Pokémon effortlessly. This is as easy as the capture with Staravia - no resistance whatsoever.

"Capture complete," I say once the light flashes. Croagunk snaps out from its trace and looks at me.

"Ack!" Both of the grunts panic as the machine explodes again. "Let's get out of here!"

I raise my eyebrows as both of them jump ship - or bridge, in this case.

"That... was something..." I remark, earning a nod of agreement from Pachi.

"Croa... croa... croa..."

"Heh?" I realize that the Croagunk is still there... creeping me out with its stare. "W-what...?"

We had a staring contest that felt like it lasted for an eternity. I lost.

"What do you want?" I ask again, unable to understand what the Pokémon wants.

"Gunk." The Pokémon jerks his head away and waddles off. Pachi and I sweatdrop at Croagunk's antics.

"Ookaayy..." What was that for?

"Chupa chupa!" Pachi reminds me that we have somewhere to go.

"Oh right!" I dash for the school gate, hoping I'm not late because of the staring contest. Once I enter the school, I'm immediately greeted by my former teacher, Ms. April!

"Kate? Is that you?"

"Long time no see Ms. April!" I wave.

"I heard they were sending another Ranger because Barlow couldn't make it, but I didn't expect it to be you!" Ms. April says with astonishment.

"I know, I didn't expect this either." I grin sheepishly.

"I'm glad to see you back and working hard." My former teacher gives me a welcoming smile. "Come, we have to speak with Principal Lemont."

We chat as we make our way inside. I start to feel nostalgic as I remember what my friends and I did here.

"Principal Lemont, you'll never guess who came," Ms. April says with a smile. The said man turns around and looks at me from behind his glasses.

"Kate!" He exclaims. "So you will be teaching today?"

"Yeah..." I say nervously. We have another chat before we decide to head for Ascension Square.

"Do you still remember where it is?" Ms. April asks. I nod.

...

I begin to get Butterfree in my stomach as students start to surround me at Ascension Square.

"Class, I would like you all to meet Kate Hitomi, a graduate of our class!" Ms. April introduces proudly.

"H-hi guys..." I wave nervously. "Let me introduce you to my partner, a Pachirisu named Pachi."

"Chupa!" Pachi greets eagerly, hopping off and running around. Everyone stares in awe, either at me or at Pachi.

I chuckle at Pachi's antics. "Sorry, she's really energetic today."

"Let's begin the Outdoor Class's main event: Questions and Answers!" Ms. April announces.

A student raises his hand immediately. "Did you get good grades?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"I'm next! Have you seen a real Gigaremo?"

"Many times."

"That's so cool!"

Another student speaks up. "Is being a Ranger busy?"

"Sure is."

"Have you ever made an embarrassing mistake?"

"Uh... I stepped onto a springy leaf pad without knowing what it was, and then collided with a Staravia in midair, and..." I try to think back to what I've done since I've become a Ranger.

"Does accidentally throwing the Ranger Union into chaos and having everyone chase me until nighttime count?" I blurt out before I realize what I am saying. Everyone stares at me with wide eyes.

"WHAT?!" All of them exclaim, causing me to step back a little.

"It was an accident!" I defend quickly. The teachers start to laugh and everyone else follows.

"H-hey!" When all the laughter finally dies out, the questions continue for a while more.

10 minutes later...

"Ehehe... Are you in love with someone right now? Or have you had a crush before?"

That... was uncalled for. I do a double take and turn all red as memories flood back in. "Uh..."

"I... um..." Damn it! Why do I keep thinking of Kellyn!? I don't like him! I don't like anyone! Besides... I don't even think he likes me back... So just say a simple no!

Everyone looks at me in amusement when I fail to answer the question immediately.

"Remember, answer truthfully." The girl who had asked the question has a sly grin on her face.

Gah! I mentally hit my head against a wall as I turn even more shades of red.

"Kyaa~! Ranger! You're blushing! That means yes, right?" the girl squeals with excitement. "That's so cute!"

"I... err... y.. n... y-"

"Yoohoo! I have a question!" Thank Arceus for whoever just said that! We all turn around to see... the same Team Dim Sum duo that I faced earlier...

They approach us with angry faces. "Dear Ranger, why did you have to mess with us earlier? Oh you don-"

"Because of your stupidity for being out in the open," I deadpan, immediately cutting them off and earning snickers from the students. "Now are there any more questions?"

The two clench their teeth and make a face. "We'll teach you a lesson!"

"Time for our payback!" the other grunt seethes. I get in front of everyone as the students walk backwards in panic and confusion.

"Everyone please calm down!" Principal Lemont says. "We have a Ranger with us, so it'll be alright!"

"Do you know how long it took to dry our clothes?!" one of the grunts spits.

"Nope, and I don't care to know," I reply nonchalantly.

"Who are you people?!" Ms April demands. "I absolutely forbid you to harm any of our students!"

"Aw..." one of the grunts coos. "That's real sweet - and cliche."

"The teacher's pretty feisty. Let's show them Team Dim Sun's might!"

"You may have destroyed the first Mini Gigaremo, but there's plenty more where that came from!" The grunt duo pull out another of those Mini Gigaremos and type in some commands.

"Chupa..." Pachi's cheeks spark with electricity.

"Better not mess up this time," I taunt with a smirk. They glare daggers at me.

"Carnivine, go!" Two Carnivine appear out of nowhere and attack me with Razor Leaf. I tumble out of the way and get directly in front of the two grunts.

"Pachi, paralyze them!"

"Chupa!" In a split second, the two grass-types are immobilized. I grin and aim my Styler at the two Pokémon.

"Capture on!" I guide the disc around the two grass-types until a solid circle appears. As it starts to encase the two, one of the Carnivine break free and jump out of the way.

"Tch." I only manage to get one as the other one lunges at me. I crouch down, one leg out and one hand on the ground, to dodge, causing the Carnivine to hit the two grunts instead.

"Gah! What are you doing?" yells the grunt with the Carnivine biting his head. "Get the Ranger! Not me!"

I snicker and dodge the incoming Carnivine as he pries the Pokémon off and throws it at me.

"Capture on!" I say again as I send out the capture disc. I make swift movements with my Styler and the disc quickly forms a solid loop, encasing the second Carnivine - but not before the grass-type spits out a Bullet Seed attack.

"Yikes!" I quickly move out of the way, but I fortunately don't need to restart because a flash of light appears, signaling the capture's success.

"Capture complete," I simply say. The Mini Gigaremo that the grunts have starts going on the fritz and releases a small explosion.

"Crap! We just got schooled again!" exclaims the grunt who now has bite marks from the Carnivine.

"We look like buffoons now!" says the other distraughtly. "Let's bail!"

The two quickly zoom away. I pat Pachi for doing a good job, and everyone claps at my performance.

"We got to see a Ranger in action!" A boy exclaims in excitement.

"That was awesome!"

"Kate, thank you for today." Ms April beams at me. "You represent so much to our students. I'm sure everyone here won't forget today's event. I hope you'll come back even more wonderful than you are now."

"I have one last question!" A student raises their hand. "Is being a Pokémon Ranger fun?"

"Absolutely!" I give them all a genuine smile.

...

"I'm back!"

"Croa... croa... croa..."

"Heh...?" I stare blankly at the Croagunk in front of me as I enter the base. Isn't this the same one from earlier?

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow!" I hear Crawford cry in agony.

"Take." I see Luana pining the guy to the ground like he is a criminal or something.

"It." Her face seems to have a dark presence looming over it.

"Back," she says through gritted teeth as she twists Crawford's arm behind his back. I think I hear a crack.

"OOOOOWWWWWWW!" Crawford screams in agonizing pain.

"So... do I care to know what happened?" I ask Elaine casually, who shrugs.

"Probably not," she says nonchalantly. "By the way, that Croagunk has been here all day. We have no idea what it is doing here, and he isn't causing any trouble either."

"Croa... croa... croa..." The Croagunk puffs out its cheeks with every 'croa' it says.

"Chupa? Chupa chupa?" Pachi climbs down to chat with the poison-type.

"Uh... I think it's the one I saved earlier."

"It must have taken a liking to you." Eliane says.

I raise an eyebrow. "How can you even tell with Croagunk's face like that?"

"Gunk." Croagunk waddles out of the base. Elaine and I watch it leave.

"Pachi, did you say something to Croagunk?" Pachi points to me then to herself.

"Um... Croagunk wants to stay with us?" Pachi nods vigorously. "So that means he's... heading for my house."

...Wait what?

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see that Luana is still torturing Crawford.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT MALE RANGERS ARE SUPERIOR TO FEMALES!"

...Hell no.

"WHAT?!" Rage fills my eyes as I forget everything. A dark aura settles upon my face and my eyes turn blood-thirsty as I crack my knuckles.

Elaine gives a look that says, 'I told you so,' then looks at Crawford with a 'You're so doomed' look.

Crawford has a look of petrified horror as both Luana and I advance on him with the same menacing look.

* * *

Screams of horror and agonizing pain can be heard all the way at the Ranger Union.


	15. Chapter 15 - Pleasant Trip to a Volcano

Chapter 15 - A Pleasant Trip to a Volcano

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

* * *

The morning is always entertaining for me. Luana is always yelling at or chasing Crawford, who had magically recovered from the torture we had inflicted on him, because of something he did or said, with Barlow trying to calm both of them down. Elaine is either dismantling something or reading the newspaper. Lyla talks on the phone without a care in the world or just watches the two Rangers in amusement. But that isn't the case today. When I get up, everyone is tense and anxious.

"Did something happen?'" I ask. Everyone looks at me as if they just noticed I was there.

"Kate, I need you to go to Boyleland as soon as possible," Crawford orders gravely. This time, it's not the I'm-trying-to-act-like-a-leader seriousness. Something is definitely wrong, and I think Barlow's involved.

"Boyleland? Why? Did something happen to Barlow?" I ask in concern.

"We don't know..." Crawford and the others grimace. "Barlow was supposed to be searching for the reason why Pokémon are disappearing from that area, but he ended up disappearing as well."

"The Union's Operation Room sent us the alert," Luana speaks up.

"They said that Barlow's signal suddenly disappeared from their radar, which could only mean that his Styler is nonfunctional. He hasn't made a report either; I'm really worried."

"We all are," Elaine corrected.

"The last signal that they detected from Barlow was from Boyleland Volcano," Crawford explains urgently. "It's either he dropped his Styler in the lava, very likely considering him, or... something terrible has happened."

Everyone shivers at the latter.

"So we need you to go find him," he continues. "The Ranger Union is looking for him, but we have to do something too. Barlow is our leader. We need to make sure he's okay."

"Okay, I'm on it!" I say with a salute, running out the base with Pachi.

"Take the boat from Pueltown, there's one waiting for you!" calls Crawford from the base as the door closes. I look for any Pokémon that will help me get to the port faster and, lucky me, there's a Staraptor flying overhead.

Aim. Set. Fire.

"Capture on!" The capture disc flies up and circles the flying type, but Staraptor continues as if it didn't notice anything. I make a few slashing movements with my Styler to create a solid circle, encasing Staraptor in a glow of light.

"Capture complete." I return the disc to its place and put my Styler away. "Staraptor!"

The flying type quickly descends and allows me to get on top. "Take me to the Pueltown port please."

I feel the air rush against my face and Pachi holding for dear life as the Pokémon flies at full speed. It's a little hard to keep my eyes open to see where I'm going, but I somehow manage.

Within a matter of minutes, we arrive at the port. I thank Staraptor for the ride, and look around to see someone waving at me. I squint to try and make out the figure.

"Chupa!" Pachi quickly gets off my shoulder and runs towards them.

"Pachi!" I run after her, only to find the little electric type playing with a Minun and a Plusle.

...Wait, Plusle?

"Solana!" I lunge at the blunette to give her a hug. She catches me and giggles, returning the hug.

"Long time no see Kate!"

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Lunick folds his arms, standing next to us.

"Oh, chill, Luny," Solana teases. "It's obvious that she likes me better than you."

At that, I laugh out loud.

"Don't call me that!" Lunick and Solana start to argue. They remind me of Luana and Crawford.

"By the way, what are you guys doing here?"

Solana stops putting Lunick in a headlock and looks up. "Oh, we came to pick you up and drop you off at Boyleland."

"Both of you?" I ask, a bit shocked.

"Aw what? Wittle Katie so big that she doesn't need us?" Lunick goes into teasing mode, earning a smack on the head from Solana.

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't want you," Solana says haughtily. It's always amusing to see these two together.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny Sol." Lunick rolls his eyes, annoyed. "We were only accompanying my disciple to HQ but dear Emma insisted that we give you a ride to Boyleland, and Sol happily obliged."

"You have a disciple? Now that's a real surprise," I joke, then pretend to be upset. "And you sounded like you didn't want to see me..."

"Okay. One, ouch, that hurts Katie." Lunick raises his index finger.

"Don't call me that! I'm not a kid anymore!" I pout.

He smirks and continues, raising his middle finger. "Two, I was just teasing you! I'm always happy to see my little sister!"

Lunick then ruffle my hair to make a few strands sticking out of place.

"Lun was upset at first though," Solana adds with a smirk.

I look at Lunick, giving him a stern look that says 'Explain or else.'

"Today was supposed to be our day off," Lunick grumbles.

"And?"

"And I was really looking forward to it." Hearing that makes me soften a bit, but I want to push for an exact answer. I think I know what his reason is, I just want to make sure. He doesn't seem to be paying attention to what he's saying anyways, so he won't catch on until somewhere towards the end.

"And you were really looking forward to it because...?"

"Because I can finally spend time with S- HEY!" Aw...so close.

Lunick blushes deeply, as Solana just blinks with a blank look. I try to hold my laughter back, but I can't.

"KATE!" Lunick starts chasing me around.

"Aw c'mon! I think you two are a perfect couple!" I whine, running so that he doesn't catch me. Solana just watches the two of us, turning red at my comment.

"Gotcha!" he exclaims as he pounces on me and starts tickling me. "The tickle monster is going to get you!"

He knows how I hate being tickled, and how vulnerable I am to it. Now I can't stop laughing.

"O-okay! I-I give!"

"We should get going," Solana finally speaks up, thumbing at the speed boat behind her.

"Hey Lunick," I call to him after we get up.

"Yeah?" I tug his arm down so I can whisper into his ear. A grin spreads from ear to ear on his face.

"Let's go!" he says with new-found energy as he picks Solana up, bridal style.

"H-hey!" She flails about, trying to get down and prevent herself from turning even deeper shades of red.

"Wait for us!" I say as our Pokémon partners and I race to catch up to them.

...

The sea breeze is really refreshing. I can close my eyes and let the breeze take over.

"How are you feeling?" Solana asks.

"I'm worried about my base leader." I reply, opening my eyes and turning to the red-eyed blunette.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Barlow's okay," Solana reassures, sitting next to me. "Besides, you'll be there to back him up if anything goes wrong!"

I smile at Solana, thanking her for the comfort. "Thanks for taking me when you were supposed to be on a break."

"No problem Kate."

Then a horde of Drifloon float lazily pass us.

"Wow..." Solana and I breathe.

"Pretty neat isn't it?" Lunick asks, approaching us. "Migrating Difloon are a pretty rare sight to see. They migrate across the sea when the seasons change. We're lucky that we're able to encounter them."

"Absolutely!" I agree. Then realized something that causes me to quickly turn around. "Hey Lunick..."

"Yeah?" He asks, both he and Solana mesmerized by the migrating Pokémon.

"...If you're here ...then who's driving the boat?"

"..." All three of us blink before our eyes widen.

"Uh oh," was all he could say.

"LUNICK!" Both Solana and I yell at him before all of us run to the steering wheel, only to find Pachi, Minun, and Plusle messing with it. We look through the window to see a huge rock up ahead.

All of us scream for dear life.

"You three! Off!" Lunick urgently orders, taking control. He has to make a sharp turn to the right to avoid collision and our death. We aren't holding on to anything, so of course, when the boat suddenly turns, we're all thrown against the wall.

We all groan as everything comes to an abrupt stop.

"Okay... NEVER let Lunick take the wheel alone EVER again! Better yet, he shouldn't even steer a boat AT ALL!" I declare, then groan again.

"I thought I could leave Lunick to steer and check up on you," Solana says, wincing a little. "But I guess not."

"Hehe..." The guy only laughs sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I wanted to see the migrating Drifloon too, you know."

"You let three Pokémon steer the boat," Solana and I deadpan.

"What?! No I didn't! I don't know how they got in there!" Lunick protests.

"That's it, I'm steering," Solana says sternly, getting up and moving to the controls.

"Hey, at least I saved us from a certain death," Lunick defends.

"We wouldn't have been in that situation if you had stayed at the steering wheel!" Solana seethes.

"Whoa, easy girl!" he says, backing away as if Solana is a Tauros about to go on a stampede.

"Lunick, we promise that if we want to die, we'll come to you," I deadpan.

"Aw c'mon Kat! I won't do it again!" He looks at me with pleading eyes. "Please forgive me!"

I sigh. "Forgiven and forgotten. Geez Solana, how can you work with him all the time?"

"He's serious when he's on the job, but goofs off when he's not," Solana replies indifferently. "So apparently, driving a boat isn't a job."

"Really Lunick?" I ask in a impassive tone. "The passenger's lives are in your hands but you don't think it's a job to make sure they'll come out _alive_?"

Lunick crooked to the side, almost falling. "Okay, I was just _a tiny bit _distracted."_  
_

...Tiny bit? He came out of the control room and left tree pokemon to do whatever they please in there.

"By the way Kat," Lunick says, straightening himself and changing the subject before I could pry deeper. "Have you thought about having a partner while working?"

"What do you mean?" I cock my head to the side. "I have Pachi as my partner."

Pachi climbs up on me and pounds herself on the chest, striking a proud pose.

"No, I mean a partner in crime, err... I mean in justice." he says, correcting himself. "Like how Sol and I work together during most of our missions."

My mouth forms an 'O' shape. "I... don't know, I never thought about it. I don't even know if I work better by myself or with someone else. I don't mean you, Pachi." I add the last part quickly as to not upset my Pokémon partner. Pachi nuzzles me as if to say 'I know.'

"Working with someone that you trust can help a lot," Solana comments. "Your partner will always have your back when you're in a tight spot. Even though it was me getting Lun out of a tight spot most of the time," she adds quickly with a bit of annoyance.

"I can feel the love," Lunick says sarcastically.

"But you guys always manage to have each other's back when you need it!"I remark. "I doubt that I could find someone like that."

"I know someone who said something similar." Lunick grins.

"Who?"

"We're here," Solana announces before Lunick can answer. She docks the boat on an island with steam coming out through cracks on the ground. A few Wingull hover about in the sky.

"He already got you permission to enter the volcano," Solana calls out. "So good luck!"

"Thanks!" I wave them goodbye as I hop off the boat with Pachi.

...Wait, he? Who's he? Prof. Hastings? Crawford?

"We'll see you next time, Kat." Solana winks.

"If you need a ride back, don't bother calling us." Lunick smirks.

"Lun!" Solana growls at her friend.

"Kidding!" He chuckles. "We'll help whenever you need it, okay?"

He then rushes into the boat's steering room, or whatever it's called. "I'm driving!"

"Lun, no!" Solana runs to stop him.

I watch as the boat reverses and disappears in the horizon.

...

"Who knew it would be so hot in here!?" I say aloud, beads of sweat trailing down my face. I mentally facepalm for forgetting where I was for a split second.

_Of course it's going to be like living hell in here! It's a volcano!_

Pachi lays flat on my head, making it even hotter for me. There is lava flowing everywhere like water in streams. I try to avoid the flows as much as possible, but I know I'll have to cross them sooner or later to get anywhere.

"Damn, dead end," I say, annoyed, as I look at the wall in front of me. How many times have I run into one at this point?

I trace my path back to where I was before I took the path that dead-ended and look around. It doesn't seem like I can go anywhere without taking a trip across the river of lava. But what can I do to get across without roasting myself in the process?

As I look around, I notice a Torkoal swimming... or is it walking? ...in the lava without any problem.

"Hm..." I take out my Styler and aim it at the Torkoal. "Capture on!"

I have to make sure that the disc doesn't touch the lava, or I'll never see it again. I carefully guide the disc to circle the Torkoal as it strolls through the lava until a solid circle appears around it and encases it in a flash of light.

"Capture complete!" I call as I return the disc to my Styler. Then I call Torkoal over. "Mind if you take me across?"

The fire type nods in response, turning it's back for me to get on.

I just stand there and gulp. I've never rode through lava on the back of a Pokémon before, but it doesn't hurt to try... right? Well, that's what I'm trying to say to myself, but I only have one chance. If I slip up... I'll be as crispy and burnt as charcoal. One chance. One try. Fail and I'm gone. No more. Nada. Never coming out. Dead.

Okay, I got the point across, let's get this over with. I carefully mount onto Torkoal and it starts waddling through the lava.

"Chupa..." Pachi looks anxiously around, tightening her grip on me.

"I know," I say to her. "I'm scared too."

I sit on Torkoal's back motionlessly as it carries us across. Some lava bubbles near us pop and send drops of lava flying though the air. Luckily, they don't hit us, which is a relief. However, my hand starts to become slippery because of the heat and sweat, and I almost slip.

"EEK!" I shriek, balancing myself back to my original position. Both Pachi and I sigh.

'Barlow, when I find you, you're going to pay for this,' I think menacingly. After a few minutes of holding my breath to think about if I slip up again, Torkoal safely carries us across. Pachi and I quickly hop off onto safe ground.

"Thanks Torkoal!" I say sincerely, waving goodbye to the Pokémon as it waddles away.

We walk a short distance before we feel a breeze to our side and spot an opening out of the volcano.

"Yes! Fresh, cool air!" I say happily as Pachi and I race to get out of the heat. We find ourselves outside on a cliff on the side of the volcano. It looks like a rest spot to my tired, stinging eyes.

"Finally! The heat was killing me!" I cheer, but then immediately trip and fall face forward. At least the ground isn't hot out here, though it's not exactly soft, either.

"It's about time you got here."

"...Huh?" I blink, then see Pachi standing in front of me. Wait... that doesn't look like Pachi... What's a Pachirisu doing here? Before long, I see a pair of feet standing in front of me. I look up to see...

"No way."

* * *

**Hope you guys like this chapter!**

**Sorry if I left a bit of a cliff hanger there XP**

**But you'll probably guess who's up next!**


	16. Chapter 16 - Trick of the Mind?

Chapter 16 - Trick of the Mind?

**New chapter! I'm glad that those who reviewed liked it! It will be great if more of you can review and tell me what you think!**

**Now without further ado, guess who's in this chapter? XP**

**I should really remember to do those disclaimer thingies.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

"No way." I sit up, my mind no longer on the things in front of me.

Am I seeing things? Hallucinating because of the heat? Just plain tired from the walking? There just isn't a way for what I am facing right now to be possible.

"Hello? Earth to Kate."

Maybe my mind is just playing a trick on me.

"Are you there?"

Maybe I thought about him too much yesterday, because there is just no way he would be here if he's supposed to be stationed in the Fiore Region. I suddenly feel a flick on my forehead, which brings me back to reality.

The slight prick of pain on my forehead causes me to automatically reach up and rub it, one of my eyes closing.

"...Ow."

"Took you long enough to respond."

"..." I just stare blankly at him. He is supporting himself on one knee and looking at me with a calm face.

"What?"

I need to confirm if this is the trick of my mind or not. I look to my side to find the rock frame of the cave entrance. Taking a deep breath, I thrust my head on to the rock, earning me a huge bump back.

"What the hell did you do that for?!"

"Huh..." I put a hand to my chin, switching into a thoughtful look. "This isn't a mind trick." Unless... I'm tricking my mind to think that it isn't a trick but it actually is. Does that even make sense?

"Kate..." The boy place a hand on my forehead where I hit it against the rock frame. "Yowch!" I yelp as the agonizing pain finally communicates with my brain. I hold onto onto my forehead.

"Are you okay? You're all red and why did you hit yourself against the rock?" He asks, looking at me with concern. "And you took a minute to realize it hurts."

"..." I drop my mouth open, but can't get anything through, so I close it. I touch my face and sure enough, it's burning up.

"Chupa?" Pachi looks at me as if she's asking if there is something wrong. I feel my head being knocked on like a door and my thoughts burst like a bubble, so I push the hand away.

"I'm not a door!" I scowl at the brunette. He chuckles, "So you're back?"

"You're him right?" I reply with a question, stretching my hands out to poke his cheeks for one last check.

"...What are you doing?" He asks indifferently, taking my hands off. "If I'm not me, then who do you think I am?"

"Uh..." I just leave my answer hanging as my mind wanders elsewhere again. He flicks my forehead again.

"Time to get back to reality," he says calmly, getting up and offering me a hand. I absentmindedly take it and blink several times before finally realizing what is going on.

"KELLYN?!" I exclaim, swiping my hand back and jumping into a startled position. "WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!" He places a hand to his face, sighing.

"I wonder how you even managed to get here if you're spacing out all the time like that."

"W-what...?" I ask, dumbfounded. "What did I miss?"

"You being an idiot," he teases. I pout, "I'm not an idiot!"

"Uh huh," he counters, unfazed. "Then what were you thinking about that you didn't hear a word I said?"

"Oh... uh, I was just thinking... how nice it is today, hehheh..." Okay, that was horrible and we both know it.

Kellyn rolls his eyes. "I hope the heat isn't getting to your brain already." I think it has.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. "I thought you were in Fiore."

He put his hands on his waist.

"They asked me to help search for Barlow with you after I finished a mission, so I've been here waiting," he says nonchalantly.

"...Oh," I say absentmindedly. "Wait...what?!" I then notice a Pachirisu on his shoulder.

"Is that your Pokemon partner?" I ask, changing the subject way too early. Kellyn pinches the arch of his nose, muttering something inaudible.

"We've already wasted enough time as it is," The brunette says, taking my hand and pulling me inside the volcano.

"W-what...?!" My heartbeat suddenly shoots up and I feel really hot for some reason.

He stops in his tracks, causing me to bump into his back since I wasn't paying attention. Both of us fall forward, me on top of him.

"Are you normally this absentminded?" he asks, groaning from his meeting with the ground.

"S-sorry!" I hastily apologize and get off, blushing slightly. I feel a slight breeze brush against my hair as he sits up. "W-why did you stop?"

Kellyn suddenly turn serious and shushes me, pulling me out and to the side of the cave entrance. Immediately after, I detect chatting voices and footsteps coming closer to us.

"I would've wore a short-sleeved shirt and shorts if I'd known we would be here."

"Why do we have to be the ones to guard that door anyways? It's freaking hot in here."A door? Since where is there ever a door to a volcano? ...Other than that entrance I came in from.

" Nothing good will come of complaining." There's a sigh.

"How long until we're done here?"

"Maybe an hour more, an hour and a half at most."

"Damn, that's too long."

"Hey look! An opening!"

"Fresh air!"

I suddenly feel a rush in my heart as the footsteps get closer.

"What do we do?" I whisper-shout to Kellyn. He only flashes me a grin. "We're going to make them spill some information about that 'door' they were talking about."

"How?"

"Just follow my lead."

I open my mouth to speak, but two Team Dim Sun grunts appear before I can make a sound. Kellyn swiftly and silently makes his way behind one, twisting his arm behind his back and pinning him to the ground. Is he a ninja or something? How can be so fast? I push the thoughts out of my mind and quickly follow, doing the same.

"W-What the-!"

"W-who are you?!" Shouts the one that Kellyn pinned.

"Why don't you look for yourself?" He replies with a fake nice tone. The two strain to turn around and widen their eyes as they see us.

"Rangers!" they both say venomously, trying to struggle free. I try my best to keep the one I have down, but Kellyn doesn't even look like he is breaking a sweat!

"We heard your conversation earlier," the brunette continues as if nothing happened. "Mind telling us about that 'door' you were complaining about?"

"Like we'll tell you Rangers anything!" The grunt under Kellyn's grip spits. I notice a Styler dangling from his belt. A Team Dim Sun grunt shouldn't even have that... which could only mean... they did something to Barlow!

"Tell us or I'll throw you down in the lava," I threaten indifferently. Kellyn stares at me, as if to say "Are you serious?" while the two grunts widen their eyes and look for any sign of a bluff. I'd really rather cut to the chase with these grunts; I need to rescue Barlow before something happens to him.

"I mean it," I assure them, putting on a deadly stare. I lift the grunt up by the cuff of his shirt and slam him against the rock-solid wall, though not without some struggle. "And why, do you two have that Styler?" Using my foot, I point to the Styler at the belt of the grunt Kellyn pinned.

"Why don't you two cooperate before we both get impatient?" asks Kellyn with a menacing smirk as he catches my drift. He twists the grunt's arm harder, making him squirm in pain.

"Alright alright!" cries the grunt. "W-we'll tell you!"

"We were guarding an entrance that leads to our cargo ship carrying the Pokémon we stole from this island!"

"What?!" both Kellyn and I exclaim in unison, our grips tightening.

"I-it's setting off in an hour. And about the Styler, w-we caught a bulky Ranger snooping around so w-we captured the man and brought him a-along as cargo!"

"That must be Barlow," I mutter, then speak aloud. "Where is it." It was more of a demand than a question.

"Let's just have them show us where the entrance is," Kellyn suggests. I comply, but not before taking Barlow's Styler from them and putting it safely away.

...

We tie up the grunts with rope that Kellyn brought – it seems he is really prepared for these things. Then we order them to show us where the ship is. We twist and turn through the volcano, careful of getting burnt or possibly discovered, until we finally reach the location.

"We're here." I look up as we stand before a huge boulder.

...Are they trying to mess with us?

"All I'm seeing is a boulder," I deadpan.

"It's probably hidden behind it," Kellyn concludes. The two grunts cackle, "We put the boulder there specifically to keep anyone from seeing a door in a volcano." They say it rather proudly. I mentally congratulate them for thinking about that, but they're still idiots.

"...I can see one problem with that," I reply calmly. Kellyn agrees and continues for me. "If you placed it to block the entrance, then how are you two supposed to get in?"

The two grunts exchange stunned looks, as if that thought never crossed their minds.

"You hadn't even thought that far?" he asks, arching an eyebrow and maybe reading their minds as well.

"H-hey!" They turn red in embarrassment. "The heat got to us!"

"Yeah yeah," I say lazily, folding my arms. "Tell that to someone who cares."

"At least you won't be going in any time soon either!" The first one spits.

"We'll see about that."

"Hey Kate, how about a race?" Kellyn says with a glint in his eyes.

"Now that sounds familiar." I fold my arms. "Why?"

He shrugs. "The faster we find a Pokémon that can break down this boulder, the faster we can get in. Besides, I want to see if the results will be different this time."

"I'll beat you and Keith any time of day!" I said challengingly. He grins, then ties the grunts around a stalagmite, preventing them from escaping.

"We already told you what we know and even lead you here!" complains one of them. "Now let us go!"

"I'll think about it... after we break the boulder down," Kellyn says, faking a consideration. He then turns to me. "Let's start!"

I nod and we race off. I hear Kellyn calling in the distance, "And don't get lost!"

"Who said I will get lost!" I shout back.

Moments later...

"How did I get lost?!" I stomp on the ground in front of a dead end, grabbing a fistful of hair in frustration.

"Chupa..." Pachi sweatdrops.

"Great... at this rate, Kellyn's going to win again," I say bitterly. Yes, I care more about that than the fact that I got lost. I really want to show him that I improved and that I don't need his help all the time anymore. As much as I can remember, he always helped me out of a pinch.

I sigh and turn on my heels to retrace my steps, but I stumble onto a Rhydon instead. A 'ding!' sounds through my mind. Perfect!

I quickly take out my Styler, making it spin once around my hand before grabbing the handle and aiming it at the rock type Pokémon. "Capture on!" I release the disc and it goes spinning around the Pokémon.

The Rhydon catches on quickly and launches himself at me, but he misses me by an inch and hits the wall behind me, making the surrounding area quake for a split second.

"Chupa!" Pachi panics a little. I tell my Pokémon partner to back up, so that she won't get hurt by Rhydon's attacks.

I then hurriedly guide the disc towards the Rhydon, who is backing up and preparing to attack again. I make quick slash movements while Rhydon uses Rock Throw. I duck to avoid one rock, then cartwheel on one hand to evade another and perform an aerial flip for the last one, landing with one leg out, knee and hand on the ground while my other hand holds onto the Styler, commanding the disc.

It's not the best landing, in terms of my ability to quickly move, but it turns out that it doesn't matter. A solid circle is created by the energy line and quickly encases the rock type Pokémon in a blinding flash. "Capture complete!"

Great! Now I just need to find my way back! "Rhydon, Pachi, let's get back!" The two Pokémon nod in response and follow me as I run... to who knows where. At some point, I run across a wide, bridge-like path, with lava streaming below. I don't realize that I'm on an unstable spot near the edge until parts of it crumble under my foot, causing me to slip down.

...I just had to run near the edge of the path.

"AHHHHH!" I shriek as I fall with the crumbling rock. I instinctively grab onto a small ledge not too far off from the path I fell from, unconsciously shouting out something. I look below to see lava absorbing the crumbled rocks as lava bubbles grow and pop. I gulp, I could be next. Then I look up to see that Pachi and Rhydon are far in the distance. How did I get so much distance from them?

I look up to the ledge that I'm dangling from, hoping that it won't break anytime soon.

"What do I do?"I ask myself then look around, seeing if there are any Pokémon that can help. I sigh after the scan - nothing. I decided to try to climb up, but I only get so far when I feel the path shake. I look towards where Pachi and Rhydon are to see them rushing towards me, which is a bad thing. Rhydon's loud and heavy stomps are shaking the ground, making the ledge I'm dangling on even harder to hang on to.

"Not good!" I panic inwardly. I can hear the throbbing of my frantic heart loud and clear as I watch in horror, then let out a yelp as I slip and begin falling towards the lava below, feet first.

"AAAHHHHHH!"

* * *

**End of chapter!**

**Sorry that I left Kate hanging there (No joke intended)**

**Kate: ...Sure...I'M FREAKING FALLING TO MY DOOM!**

**Oh hi Kate, this is the first time you visit me here. Welcome!**

**Kate: Never mind that! Don't tell me I'm dead next chapter!**

**Fine. I won't tell you.**

**Kate: ...**


	17. Chapter 17 - I Work Alone

**Chapter 17 - I Work Alone**

**Okie dokie! Next chapter is up!**

**Cynderheart456: Tehehe ^^' Sorry to have you wait!**

**Guest: I'm gad that you enjoy reading the story so far! And I think it's just cute when Kellyn always have to look after her when she's in trouble. ^~^v**

****ChelseaJackson: I know right? I'm sure Kate is just gleeful to be with him!****

**Kate: ...Nope.**

**Me: Where's my mallet?...Forget it, I'll just borrow Misty's.**

**Kate: *Sweatdrop* ...Uh...okay just a little. *blushing slightly* BUT DON'T YOU DARE SAY A WORD!**

**Me: *Smirk* So cute~! Anyways, on with the disclaimer! I do not own Pokemon! Enjoy!**

* * *

Kellyn's POV

"Who said I will get lost?!" Her shout rings through my head as I run. Why do I get the feeling that she's going to get lost? I shake the thought away, only for it to be replaced by thoughts of my assignment. I still can't believe that they called me on this mission right after I got back from Sinnoh. I knew that I had to help a Ranger find Barlow, but I didn't exactly expect Kate. I mean, I wasn't too surprised when it turned out to be her - kind of glad actually - since it was the leader of Vien Town's base who had gone missing, but I was thinking that they would send someone with more experience than her, like Crawford or Luana. I think back to what had happened at HQ.

-Flashback-

"So... why exactly are you two coming with me?" I ask indifferently, looking over to Lunick and Solana as we fly in the sky on each of our Staraptor.

Lunick grins. "Well, you're going to be re-stationed in Almia today, so why not tag along?"

"..." I just ignore his question, responding with one of my own. "Aren't you two supposed to be having a day off?"

"Lun thought that it would be more relaxing going to Almia," Solana relplies.

"Besides, this will be the last time you will be under my wing," Lunick says rather proudly. Solana and I just roll our eyes. I've spent long enough with both of them to understand their personalities. Lunick's can be egocentric at times and Solana is the only that can switch him off. Even though he goofs off, Lunick can respond to any situation quite well. Solana's the one the serious one but can be very gentle. She keeps a careful watch on her surrounding and will likely to respond before something happens. Overall, their personalities are the complete opposites, yet they work extremely well together. I guess opposites really does attract.

"We've arrived," I comment as I see the Union HQ up ahead. We speed up and arrive within a matter of seconds.

"Hey, you two!" greets a chubby man at the entrance.

"Murph!" Lunick and Solana exclaim, waving at him. Murph... I heard his name pop up once or twice when Lunick and I were conversing back in Fiore.

"What are you doing here?" Murph asks. "Boy, I haven't seen you two in a while!"

"We came with Kellyn!" Lunick grins, jamming his thumb in my direction. I just wave as a greeting.

"So your're Kellyn?" Murph asks, as if Lunick did not just say my name and point at me. I merely nod. "I was told to take you into the Operation Room for another mission."

He turns around and yells back, "Follow me!" The three of us just stare at him before following him. A mission? Didn't I just finish one?

We take two escalators up, then walk into the Operation Room to meet Chairman Erma.

"Kellyn, reporting back from Sinnoh." I salute idly.

"Hello Kellyn," she greets, then looks at Solana and Lunick, who are being idolized by the rest of the room, "Lunick, and Solana."

"Yo!" Lunick greets causally.

"Good job on your mission Kellyn, but as you might have heard from Murph, you have another right off the bat," Erma remarks, turning to me. "Also, you are re-stationed in Almia." I nod.

"Normally, I would let you rest after coming all the way here, but an emergency came up and you are the only one available. I did not count on Lunick and Solana to have a visit, since they are supposed to be in Fiore. "

"Hey! We can go anywhere on our day off!" Lunick protests.

"You should've called first," Erma shoots back.

"...Back on topic?" I ask.

"Right. A day ago, one of the Almia base leaders, Barlow, went missing while on a mission to investigate why Pokemon are going missing from Boyleland," Erma explains. "We've lost his signal, and while we're still trying pick it up, we haven't found anything. Therefore, you will be sent to Boyleland – more specifically, the volcano, where we last detected his signal. However, you won't be alone there, a Ranger working under Barlow will also be coming with you."

Barlow? Vien Town's base leader? So it'll mean... one of those three.

"I can deal with this alone. I don't need someone to tag along," I say coolly.

"But wouldn't it be better to have someone watching your back?" Lunick reasons. "Barlow's gone missing, and he went alone."

"There aren't many people that can work at my pace," I reply back. "I doubt I can find someone like that." Let alone someone from Vien Town...Luana is average but she's too clumsy, might ruin things for us. Crawford's constant jokes are a little too annoying. He means well but how are they even funny? And Kate? Well...if only she wasn't as absentminded.

I turn to leave. "Boyeland, right?"

Chairperson Erma nods. "But you should wait for the other Ranger."

"I'll wait at the volcano," I remark, though I really doubt I will. I just want to finish this as quick as possible. As I head down, I hear Lunick gripe and Solana let out a gasp of delight. I wonder what Chairperson Erma told them.

...

I arrive at the volcano in no time on the back of Staraptor. I thank him as he flies off. As I head up some steps, I run into an elderly man and a younger woman.

"Who are you? Are you here to take our Pokémon? Leave this instant!" With that, he trudges off into one of the houses on the island. I just sweatdrop.

"Ah, sorry about grandfather's behavior!" apologizes the woman that was next to the elder. She explains to me that some strangers came to their island and trespassed into the Boyleland Volcano. After that, the Pokémon started going missing, along with Mime Jr. , the elderly man's precious companion. There was also a man that came before me wearing the same uniform as me. That must have been Barlow. She said that they thought he went missing as well, since they hadn't heard anything from him.

I tell her that I'm a Ranger that was sent here to investigate the disappearances.

"Oh! Then you'll have to ask Grandfather for permission to enter the Volcano, since he is the chief of this island. After that incident, it's been closed off."

I merely nod again and follow her to the house that the elder disappeared into. I explain to the old man that I'm a Ranger, not part of Team Dim Sum.

"Ah! I'm terribly sorry!" the man apologizes after my explanation. "My eyes aren't what they used to be. I thought that you must be one of those bad guys since you wear a uniform!"

"...No."

"Well, if you want entrance into the Volcano, then I'll gladly allow you it. Just let me find my keys..." He looks around for them, finding and rejecting many other keys without finding the ones he wants. I'm getting the feeling that this is going to take a while.

Meanwhile, I get a message from Lunick.

"What is it?"

"Just calling to tell you that we'll be sending your partner for this mission to you by boat."

"..." I give him a questioning look.

"The old hag- OW!" Solana hits his head.

"Don't insult Chairperson Erma like that!" The bluenette screams into his ear. I just look on in amusement as the argument unfolds.

"Grandfather, is this it!?" The woman - I didn't get her name - holds out a red key.

"Yes, that's it!" The man exclaims. "Thank you, Maria!" Okay, now I know her name.

"Guys?" I speak through the Styler, interrupting their argument. "I'm going to be heading into the volcano, so tell them that I already got permission for them to enter."

"Right! Cya!" Lunick quickly ends the call before I do. Hm... I never did find out who is going to come. But since there's only three options, I decide not to worry about it too much.

...

After a long trek through the volcano, I get to an opening in the side of the volcano where the sea breeze passes through. I exit through it onto a small cliff area. It feels great to get some fresh air after the humidity of the volcano.

From the cliff, I can see a boat docking onto the island and a very familiar spiky twin-tails hopping off of it...maybe I will wait after all.

-End flashback-

I run in the opposite direction that Kate went and search for any sign of a Pokémon - if there is any left. What would Team Dim Sum want with the stolen Pokémon?

After some searching, I get a message on my Fine Styler. I take it out of my bad - I didn't wear it into the volcano - and press the answer button. I see the face of a blue-haired girl – Linda.

"Kellyn, what's the progress?"

"I met up with Kate, caught some Dim Sum grunts, and right now, we're trying to clear away a boulder that's blocking our way," I summarize. "Can you send me a layout for this volcano?"

"Sure, it will just take a minute." I nod in response.

But before anything else happens, I hear a scream, followed by... my name? That voice... My heart sinks as I recognize it as Kate's.

Just what is that girl thinking? I think in frustration as I run in the direction of the scream at breakneck speed. As I get closer to the bottom of a bridge-like path, I see Kate clinging to a ledge... Why is she always getting into trouble like this!? And then I always have to get her out of it, like that time with the Tangrowth...

Then comes the heavy stomping of a Rhydon as it makes its way towards Kate. Did she capture that, or did it just come right at that time to make things the worst they could possibly be?

As the stomping continues, Kate looks like she can't hold on much longer... and then she slips... Why do I always have to be right about these things!?

"AAAAHHHHH!" She screams again as she falls towards the lava.

"KATE!" I exclaim, rushing towards her, though she probably doesn't notice as she screams for her life. I look at the distance between her and I.

"Tch... don't think I'm going to make it!" I mutter as I try to increase my speed.

"Capture on!" I hear Kate shout. I look up and see that she is trying to capture one of the Drifloon that I saw floating into the volcano a while ago. I'm impressed that she can react like that when she's falling to her death. Once she completes the capture, she quickly grabs onto its stringy, yellow, heart-shaped hands.

I sigh in relief as she floats to safety, but I still keep running, which turns out to be a good thing. Kate relaxes too soon and slips from her grip, free-falling once more.

That idiot.

She screams once again as she falls. The Drifloon is too slow to catch her, but I've gained enough distance that I should be able to catch her in time. I see a gap in the path up ahead, along with Kate falling, and prepare to jump.

"Hold on tight," I tell my Pachirisu. He nods in response and I feel his grip tighten on my shoulder.

I leap into the air and catch her, landing on the other side with one knee scraping on the ground. It'll probably hurt later, but right now adrenaline is keeping that from happening. Pachirisu hops down to view us with his curious eyes. The first thing I notice is my reflection in them – somehow, I look calm. I'm not sure how that's possible, with how furiously my heart is pounding. The second thing is how Kate has her arms locked tightly around my neck and her eyes shut tight in fear.

...I don't think she notices. She is unmoving, even when I set her feet down. She stays in that position, keeping her embrace on me as I stand up. I fight back a blush threatening to appear on my face as we stay in that position. She only tightens her grip and begins to shake.

"..." I raise a hand and pat her head, both to soothe her and to alert her to my presence. "Kate, you can let go now."

Her eyes flicker open in response, then turn agape as she quickly breaks apart from me - much to my relief, as I can breath normally again. "K-K-Kellyn!" she stammers, cheeks aflame.

"Who else?" I ask. A moment passes, and then I scowl at her, feeling a burning knot rising in my chest. "What were you thinking?! Don't you realize that you could've died?!"

"I..." She looks down, avoiding eye contact with me and shuffling her foot. "S-sorry..."

Suddenly, everything in me seems to explode. "Sorry!? Sorry isn't enough! Don't you realize how worried I was?! You almost gave me a heart attack! This wasn't like the time with the book shelf, you know! You could've died!" I shout, distraught. Kate shrinks back with wide eyes, seemingly scared at my sudden outburst.

My anger is gone as quickly and suddenly as it appeared. I sigh and run my hand through my hair. I need to calm down. Why did I yell at her like that? I know I'm just worried about her - who wouldn't be if their friend was falling to their doom? But why was I getting so worked up about it? I rarely do that... correction, I've NEVER done that before.

I look at her now-dispirited state, which troubles me. I have the urge to just hug her and com- I mentally hit my head against a wall.

...What the hell am I thinking?! I really need to get out of here, the heat is getting to my head.

"S-sorry...?" she squeaks, as if I did not just yell that sorry isn't enough.

I just place my hands on my hips and sigh in exasperation, "Don't ever do that again."

* * *

Kate's POV

That... was scary... Way scarier then diving down into the lava! The way Kellyn lost his cool and shouted like that... I thought the world was going to end! It almost seemed like he was worried, but he was just so angry... But I can understand why. Who would want to be responsible for someone's death?

I try to avoid his gaze and kick at the ground like a upset child while he glares over me like an overprotective parent.

"Anyways, now that that's out of the way," Kellyn starts, looking over to Pachi and Rhydon, "looks like you win."

"W-what?" I look up to meet his pale blue eyes, only to realize what he means moments later. "Oh."

He simply rolls his eyes and folds his arms. "We would have been using our time productively if a certain someone didn't just scream my name for help while falling to her death."

I quickly turn bright red. "...I... I what?!" I screamed his name...? I think back to when I was hanging for dear life. I faintly remember shouting out something nonsensical, but I didn't really know what it was, since I was busy panicking and trying to cling to the ledge.

"What, you can't even remember that?" he teases, flicking my forehead. "Airhead."

I instantly lift a hand over the faint red mark that he made and pout. "Shut up."

"Is this how you treat someone who just saved your butt?" he taunts coolly.

"...Glad I can count on you!" I crack a smile as things return to normal.

* * *

**I don't know if that's a good spot to end the chapter but I'm going to end it anyways!**

**Kate: You made me say something as cheesy as _that?!_**

**Me:...I should kick you out of this chat already. **

**Kate: Why? I thought anyone could join in this.**

**Me: Oh, then I'll just call Kellyn over a - *Cuts off by Kate dashing out of the room* -nd have a tea party...****At least I didn't even need to call security. Ah, finally, peace and quiet.**


	18. Chapter 18 - Infiltration

Chapter 18 - Infiltration

**Hiya Pokepeeps! I'm alive!(If you have thought that I was dead or something XD)**

**I'm sorry for those that were waiting for the new update ;-; But I been focusing a lot of my time to school so I have to make do with whatever free time I have.**

**_RosesOfTruth _\- Yes exactly! I'm just a big fan of Almiashipping and I wish I could read more of them ;-; And thanks, I'm glad that you like my stories!**

**_Cynderheart456_ \- Sowweyyy to make you wait! ;-; But I hope this will make it up...I hope.**

_**Shadow390**___**\- Thanks! I'm glad you like it!**

**Now here's the newest Chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

Kellyn and I stand in front of the gigantic boulder, going over what I have to do. It isn't much, but I still have the feeling that we're missing something.

"Okay, so break this thing then head for the door?"

Kellyn nods.

"Won't it be locked?"

He blinks, then looks at the grunts he tied down only to see them fried by the heat. He facepalms. We hadn't bothered asking the grunts about the door itself, though who would when they had a house-sized boulder to break?

"We'll just force it open."

I shrug with a "fine" and command Rhydon to obliterate the boulder. After waiting for all of the dust to clear, we see a metal door. Kellyn reaches for the handle and pushes down on it. It opens with a small click.

"Wow…" I remark sarcastically. Kellyn nods.

"Those grunts really were idiots. They blocked themselves out with a huge boulder, but didn't bother to lock the door."

"Hey, can't complain, right?" I say. "This just makes everything all the more easier!"

I thank and release the Rhydon, then slip in the entrance after Kellyn. We see a large ship with the cargo door opened far off in the distance. I look to my right to see some cargo needing to be loaded onto the ship and some Team Dim Sun grunts doing exactly that.

"Looks like we got our work cut out for us."

Kellyn raises a brow at me. "Isn't that obvious?"

I roll my eyes at his comment and decide to focus on the task at hand. "So… how do you want to do this? Sneak in? Or just run straight in since they're busy trying to lift the cargo?"

I feel a smack on my head and I yelp in pain. My hand automatically reaches up to rub the top of my head. "Want to tell me what that was for?!" I hiss quietly, so as to not give away our presence.

"For being an idiot," Kellyn answers bluntly. Ouch, that hurts. Does he really has to say that so bluntly?

"Why would we want to run straight in if that's going to bring attention to us?"

"Well," I counter, "if they're like those two grunts we fought, then they wouldn't even notice if we go on board!"

"But if we were to be seen," he argues back, "then the whole ship will be alerted, and that will cut our chances of finding Barlow since the whole of Team Dim Sun will be after us. You can't be as reckless as before."

"...It's not like I want to be reckless," I pout. "And who are you? My dad? You're not even that age yet!"

"As your friend, I have the right to worry about your safety," he said with a stern look and folded arms. "And you said that a little too loud."

"What?"

"You there!"

"Oh, oops." I facepalm and curse inwardly for the blunder I made. The two of us turn to face the grunts, preparing for an assault. But instead, we get something completely uncalled for.

"What are you kids doing?" scolds one of the Team Dim Sun goons. He looks to be one of the higher ranking ones, which is confirmed by the fact that he actually has a tag reading 'Officer' on his shirt.

"Kids?" I raise a brow at them. I know I'm short but come on! Do I look like a kid to him? And what about Kellyn?! He's about as tall as anyone his age could get! He's a foot taller than me at least! Stupid genetics.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to play Ranger in a volcano?" he continues. I'm sorry, but what? Did he just say what I think he said? I look at Kellyn for confirmation, and he gives me a look that answers my question.

"But –"

"Who thought that it was a good idea to let you kids into a volcano anyways?" He continues on his rant. "Let alone acting like good-for-nothing Rangers!"

My eye twitches, and I think Kellyn's does as well. He did not just tell us off like that, in front of our faces.

"I –"

The Officer makes a shooing motion with his hands. "Now, go play something else, like hopscotch, and leave us alone to our work!"

I begin fuming. Would he stop cutting me off like that?! I would punch him in the face, but Kellyn takes ahold of my shoulder, telling me to restrain myself with the motion.

We watch as they leave us alone and go back to their business. "Oho, they are so dead after I get my hands on them. I'm not even that short!"

"Well," Kellyn starts, sounding nonchalant. "You do look like a kid."

"Watch it," I hiss acrimoniously. He chuckles and raises his hands in mock defeat.

"Feisty, aren't we?"

I huff and fold my arms. "Whatever, let's just get this over with so that I can sink their ship."

"That better be once we're out of the vessel," he says, amused. I ignore him and dash into action, hiding behind a box of cargo when one of the grunts comes back for more. I round the corner of another, and it turns into a routine, our Pachirisu silently clinging onto us as we move nimbly. I look behind to check on Kellyn, but he's right behind me. No need to worry about him, then.

We peep around another corner to see two grunts coming from both directions. I scowl, trying to find a way around them. I feel a tap on my shoulder and rotate my head to find Kellyn pointing up.

"Climb?" I whisper, to which he nods. We both make a jump and grab onto the corner, then pull ourselves up. From there, we lay down on our stomachs, crawling so that they won't notice us.

Just how far is it to the stupid ship?

As we crawl, we catch a conversation between two of the grunts.

"How long do we have until the ship sails?"

"Three minutes, tops."

"Alright, let's put these in and then we're done!"

"Three minutes?!" I whisper–yell to my companion. "We need to hurry!"

Kellyn nods in reply, and we speed up. Once we get near enough, we hop off and enter the ship as quickly as possible, hopefully without anyone noticing.

I catch my breath once we get in. "Now… what?"

I look up at him and he seems to be in deep thought as to what to do next. We don't know the layout of this ship. Because of that, we won't know where the grunts are stationed as guards, which means we could very well run into one when we round the next corner.

"We're in the cargo section of the ship, so there should be a lot of grunts around…" Kellyn deducts. "But we still need a way of moving around once go up a level. These Ranger uniforms will make us targets."

"Hm…" I hum to myself, contemplating on what to do. My mind clicks on something, and I tug at Kellyn's jacket sleeve to get his attention. I stand on my toes and whisper what I had thought into his ear.

He smirks at the idea. "Not bad. Why didn't I think of that?"

I grin, and we both decide to wait for the perfect time to act. When two members of Team Dim Sun appear, an officer and a grunt, to be precise, we ambush then, making sure to not let a sound escape from their mouths. We knock them out, toss them somewhere, and switch into their uniforms. They won't be waking up anytime soon, but we didn't kill them, of course, as much as I would like to.

Changing uniforms was a bit… awkward, since he's a guy and… well, since I'm a girl. He changes first while I watch for any sign of danger, and then we switch roles.

"Done!" I whisper–yell, popping out in my brand new – not really – Team Dim Sun grunt uniform. I see him standing in quite a stiff stance. I move to the side and can see the tiniest bit of red on his cheeks.

"What?" he asks blandly when he notices me staring.

"Nothing," I idly reply. "Just noticing that you were losing your cool just now."

"…Did not."

"Then why are you so stiff?" I prod at his shoulder, making him edge back a bit, which proves my point. He sighs and shakes his head, telling me that we should get going now.

Since Kellyn is supposedly an officer, we get by without any problems, though it's kind of annoying that there are so many large cargo boxes blocking our way. It feels like a maze. On the way, I see a gigantic drain plugged into the floor.

"Don't even think about sinking this place before we get Barlow."

I look at Kellyn innocently. "I wasn't thinking about that."

"You were staring at the valve."

"That doesn't mean I was going to unplug it!"

He rolls his eyes, not believing me. We are then stopped by two grunts, but Kellyn puts on his act and tells them off. I only realize now how good Kellyn is at acting… or commanding people as to what they should do, at least. We head up some stairs and see another grunt, but he's using a Mini Gigaremo on a Mime Jr. It looks as though he's having fun jeering at the mind-controlled Pokémon.

This makes me mad, but Kellyn stretches an arm in front of me to stop me from doing anything. He walks up to the grunt and tells him to get back to work instead of messing around. Of course, the grunt complies immediately and leaves with a salute.

Both of us start working on undoing the mind-control. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Kellyn looks at me with a smirk. "It's not every day I get to tell off the enemy and have them follow my orders."

I roll my eyes and press one last button, stopping the wavelength being emitted by the machine. The Mime Jr. snaps out of its trance and looks at us. I can see fear evident in its eyes. It probably thinks that we're one of them.

Luckily, our Pachirisu come forward and chat with the psychic-type Pokémon. After that, Mime Jr. started dancing around us in gratitude. But it then suddenly stops and urges us somewhere.

"What does Mime Jr. want us to do?" I ask aloud, looking cluelessly at the Mime Jr. hopping in place. It then speeds to a door and with a wave of its hand, gestures for us to follow it.

"Let's find out," Kellyn replies, being the first to follow the Pokémon. We pass more grunts and continue to follow the little clown Pokémon to its destination. We go up more stairs, finding our way around more crates, finally making it to where Mime Jr. has stopped.

"Mime mime!" It points frantically at the new door, wanting us to go through it. I furrow my brows and suddenly hear faint computer–like noises in the next room. It's a beeping that I'm quite accustomed to by now. The sound of a working Gigaremo.

I look into the room to scan the area. It's a yellow Gigaremo with Pokémon such as Magmar, Pikachu, and Stunky standing around. They seem to be guarding a door. We must be getting closer.

"We're going to have to break it somehow," I mutter after taking my head back out of the room.

"Kate, you know how to dismantle those things, right?" Kellyn asks. I give him a look. Is he stupid?

"Of course I can!" I huff indignantly. "Who do you think I am?"

He flicks my head. "An unheeding girl."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding!" He chuckles, putting his hands up in front of him in defense. He can be so annoying sometimes. Why did he have to make a joke right now?

"Okay, I need you to dismantle that thing while I deal with the hypnotized Pokémon," he instructs.

"I'm sorry, what? I wasn't paying attention," I say sardonically, getting back at him for the insult.

"Kate…"

I fold my arms and frown at him. "Your fault for saying that."

"I said it was a joke!"

"It wasn't funny to me!"

"Don't actually start acting like a kid now," he warns in a very father-like tone, which is very annoying.

"Am I only a kid in your eyes?" I ask without thinking. He seems to be taken aback by the question, and I bite my lip, realizing what I just said.

"Forget it," I say quickly, walking into the room. I don't want to hear another word from him. Sometimes, he just annoys me to no end with the way he acts towards everything. He rarely shows his lenient side, and when he does, it's usually to tease me, which irks me quite a bit.

I start trying to dismantle the Gigaremo right away while Kellyn does his best to get the hypnotized Pokémon off my back. The material used to build this one isn't very strong. I mean, is that plastic they're using for the outer layer? Did they seriously run out of actual metal or something?

Once I shred the other shell (with ease, I might add), I start to messing with the wiring within the machine. I part all the colorful wires to find a black stone at the core. I stare at it for the longest moment before I reach for it. But before I can remove it, a sudden surge of pain spirals through my brain.

I groan, more in irritation rather than of pain. Why did it have to happen now?

"Kate! Duck!"

"Duck?" I repeat, and open my eyes to see a Pikachu jump at my face. I screech in surprise and pain as it scratches my face, and I fall backwards onto the concrete with a loud thud. I hear a loud crack in my pocket, which can't be good.

"Who's there!" comes a voice, accompanied by a slam of the door. It looks like we've been found.

"A - A Styler!" the voice exclaims. He's probably talking about Kellyn's, since I don't have mine out and my face is being blocked by a snarling yellow rodent.

"You're a Ranger!" The next thing I hear is the sound of fast-paced footsteps and loud alarms sounding off.

"Get off of me!" I growl, prying the Pikachu off. I see Kellyn run over to the Gigaremo and take out the stone. The electric Pokémon in my hands stops squirming and stares at me blankly before I let it go.

"No use in hiding now." Kellyn heaves a sigh, and I follow suit. Guess we have to do this the hard way from now on. Mime Jr. comes in and circles around us again, as if thanking us for helping it.

I fish a broken Styler from my pocket and sigh again. I just broke Barlow's Styler. I really shouldn't have put it there. The gadget is suddenly taken away from me, and I look up at Kellyn, who is now looking at it.

"You broke another one," Kellyn says nonchalantly as he sits down and starts fixing the Styler.

I pout in response. "That was accidental! I didn't know that I was going to be attacked by one of those Pokémon!"

"It's my fault, sorry," he apologizes once he finishes fixing the Styler. It takes him only a matter of minutes. What the heck? How does he do that so fast? Though... it wasn't in such a bad condition in the first place.

"I shouldn't have been so careless as to let it happen." He stands up and faces me, reaching a hand to my face to wipe the blood from the cut that the Pikachu had dealt to me.

I feel heat rising to my cheeks and I turn around. "I-it's f-fine." I curse myself for stuttering. He returns Barlow's Styler to me and I mutter a simple thanks, not able to make eye contact with him.

We head for the door that had been guarded and enter, only to see a grunt activating another Gigaremo.

...Great...

* * *

-about half an hour later-

I'm going to die. I'm going to die from walking for so long and from the motion sickness from riding all of those conveyor belts. Those giant levers weren't that easy to push either, but we had to in order to get the crates to make a path that we could go through. We had to capture some Pokémon that were running amok on the ship to help. They're probably the ones that disappeared from the island. It's like some kind of game, but an annoying one.

"That better be the last one," I mutter, leaning against another giant lever that we just finished pushing.

"I think it is," Kellyn replies. "I can see another door."

"Oh goodie, I wonder how many grunts we're going to get this time," I say sarcastically. Last time, we got about seven grunts chasing after us when we walked into another room.

"You're in a bad mood."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," I growl. "That grunt back there called me shorty."

He looks at me in amusement. "If you aren't short," he places a hand on my head, "then how can I do this?"

"Don't push it," I hiss, yet I feel the heat rising in my cheeks again. I hate it when this happens...

We arrive at a door that's locked by an electrical system. Kellyn analyzes it and tells me that it'll need at least 2,000 volts to overload and shut it down.

"Arceus, that's a lot," I remark.

"Not for our Pokémon," Kellyn replies. He calls his Pachirisu over. I call mine over as well, and we both command our partner Pokémon to use Discharge on the electric lock. The light flickers with a weird buzzing sound and fades away, and the door automatically opens itself. We high-five and walk in to see an Electabuzz and a Magmar running in what look to be the largest Dendenne** (For the lack of a better substitution for hamster)** wheels I ever seen.

There is a wire fence blocking the central path between the hamster wheels. We stand and ponder what to do for a while, but then we're spotted.

"Hey!"

"It's the intruders!"

Both of us look up to see a throng of grunts coming our way. There's too many for us to handle with only the two of us, and so we make a break for the door on the other side from of the room.

We approach a fork and take the path on our right. While we're running, I feel a tug, and suddenly I'm being pulled into a dark room with someone's hand covering my mouth and shushing me. Somehow, I know it's Kellyn, probably because he isn't trying to hurt me. I'm leaning against his chest, and I can hear the pounding of his heartbeat.

"We're safe for now," says Kellyn's voice. I can barely see the floor in front of me, thanks to the little light that's coming through the small gap in the open door. I make a muffled sound, trying to signal him to take his hands off my mouth, which he quickly does.

"Were you trying to suffocate me?" I ask as I turn around, gasping for breath.

"Sorry." It's too dark to see his face.

"Anyways, let's -" I'm interrupted by another muffled noise, one that I didn't make. Both of us go on alert and try to feel out our surroundings.

"Maka!"

That voice... isn't it Barlow's Makuhita?

"Makuhita? Barlow?" Another muffled sound is made at my call, answering my question.

"Ugh... I can't see," I whine, extending my hand out to feel around as I walk blindly. I trip over something and yelp as I fall. There's a grunt, and I groan, even though the impact wasn't that painful.

"Careful!" Kellyn hisses. Oh... oops.

"Sorry..." I say sheepishly, sitting up, only to have my back bump into something solid - like a wall, but it doesn't feel cold. Yet another muffle comes, closer this time, almost like it's right behind me.

...Correction, it is right behind me.

"We need some light," I say with a frown, though I doubt anyone can see it. This blinding darkness is getting on my nerves.

"Wait, I think I found a flashlight."

The next second, a bright light shines on me, temporarily blinding me. I yelp in surprise and reel back with my hands covering my eyes. Kellyn apologizes as my pupils adjust to the sudden change in brightness.

"Where did you find that?"

"The crate." He jerks his thumb at said crate behind him. I sweatdrop at the convenience, then turn to take off the cloth that had been keeping Barlow from talking.

"Kate? Kellyn?" is the first thing he says. "What are you guys doing here? And what's with those clothes?!" he inquires in confusion, referring to our current Team Dim Sun wardrobe.

"Why do you ask? Jealous?" I joke.

"We infiltrated this ship to get you," Kellyn explains, getting straight to the point and making the long story short. Sometimes... he just ruins the fun of everything.

"Kellyn, help me untie this rope! It's too tight!" I grunt, gritting my teeth as I try to untie the knot.

Both of us struggle to pull the rope off of Barlow, but to no avail. Kellyn gets up and searches through the crate again. This time, he comes back with a... saw? What do they keep in those wooden boxes?

"Don't tell me there's a pogo stick in there," I say after he is done sawing through the ropes and putting the saw back into the wooden crate. He turns to me with a poker face.

"Okay, I won't tell you then."

"..." I facepalm. Him and his quips. And who would put something like that in a crate, anyway, along with a saw and flashlight?

"Phew!" Barlow checks his wrists, examining the marks the rope left. "Thanks you two! I feel so much better now that I'm out of those ropes!"

"No problem!" I say. "But now the question is... how do we get out?"

We look around and find another door, but when Kellyn tries to open it, the door knob stubbornly rattles, refusing to open up.

"You two," Barlow says. "Stand back. This calls for a target clear."

Both of us give him a questioning look but oblige nonetheless, stepping to the side. The man backs up a couple of steps and out of nowhere, suddenly screams out, "TARGET CLEAR!" and charges straight at the door, busting it open in the process. He doesn't stop there, either, and smashes into another door, and another one... and another.

...How long is this going to go on? But both of us are impressed by his show of strength.

"Hey guys!" he exclaims, all the way at the end of the trail of busted doors. "Get in here! This room is strange!"

"Strange?" Kellyn and I exchange looks before following Barlow's request. Before I even enter the room, I detect a strong scent of... hair spray? It's so strong that I have to cover my nose when I enter the room. The smell is unbearable, but it also seems familiar. The room is neatly constructed. With a Team Dim Sun logo as a giant mat, a four-poster bed off in the corner, a set of drawers at another corner with a huge mirror, and set on the surface of the wooden furniture is an array of what I think are hair sprays.

I look to my left and am shocked at the lines of similar sets of clothes. It's composed of red vests, sandy yellow shirts, purple ties and black pants. They seem familiar as well. Where have I seem them before?

"Hey... aren't those-"

"The scream came from in the boss's room!"

"But isn't he in the control room navigating the ship?"

"Then it must be the intruders!"

Oh boy... "I think that's the signal for us to high-tail it out of here!"

The other two agree with me and we quickly leave the smelly room, but already, a Flamethrower is aimed our way. We have to tuck and roll out of the way.

"Pachi!" I exclaim as Pachi accidentally slips from my side and is swallowed among the mass of grunts that just got here. I run after her, barging through the throng of people. When they try to grab me, my reflexes kick in and I punch the living daylights out of them. I'm not just going to leave my partner Pokémon to these people.

Kellyn's POV

"This way!" I call out, hoping that Kate and Barlow can hear me and follow where I'm going. There's just too many grunts to handle right now, especially in this cramped space. From what I can tell, there's at least 20 grunts that showed up and probably more coming.

We come across a wandering Electabuzz, and I take out my Styler and strap it to my arm. "Capture on!"

With my index and middle finger together, I guide the disc to circle loops around the electric-type Pokémon. In a matter of seconds, a solid circle encases the target Pokémon in a bright flash of light, signaling the success of the capture. "Electabuzz, flash!"

We reach a set of stairs, and the Pokémon I captured uses the field move to light up the entire area, blinding our enemy. I force the door open, run up the stairs, and suddenly come into contact with fresh sea breeze. We're on the deck of the ship.

I look behind me to see Barlow and Makuhita catching their breath with their back against the now-closed door. But... someone is missing from this picture. I furrow my brows. "Barlow, where's Kate?"

The man looks around and replies with "I don't know." Both of us widen our eyes in the realization that we lost Kate and her Pachirisu back there. How could I have missed her? I swear she was right behind us when we took off! Where is she now?

I'm about to go back down to look for her when I hear another door squeak open, followed by a familiar voice.

"Well well well, if it isn't Kellyn."

* * *

**Hehe...end it with a cliffy. I think this is mostly for me so that I'll want to update the story faster but meh. I'm sorry if you guys hate cliffys...**

**Anyways, please review and tell me what you think, either good or bad, I don't care. It'll only make me do better both ways.**


	19. Chapter 19 - Halloween Special

Chapter 19 - Halloween Special

**So...I decided to write something for Halloween! This is a little side chapter from the main story line, involving Solana and Lunick as well as some special guests!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Enjoy!**

* * *

"...Your idea of relaxation is to visit a so-called-haunted house?" the blunette deadpans as both she and Lunick stand in front of a worn-down building. The windows with broken glass are patched up with chipped-up planks, some falling and only hanging on by a nail. The top windows have tattered curtains flying outward. The double doors have cracks in them, and the right door is falling off its hinge; the door knobs look so rusty that it seems like one touch will cause them to disintegrate into dust. The roof looks like something fell onto it and created a crack. There are holes on the walls here and there.

Lunick grins and raises a peace sign in front of him. "Yep! It's gonna be fun!"

"Min?"

"Plus..." Both of their partner Pokémon wear looks of uncertainty, not really trusting Lunick's idea of fun.

Solana rubs her temples and sighs. "Remind me to never let you decide where we're going next time."

"Oh c'mon!" the male Ranger exclaims. "It's not that bad!"

She deadpans at him again. "Sure... going all the way to Sinnoh to explore an abandoned house in the middle of a forest is the best way to relax. Best idea ever."

"Now that's the spirit!" Lunick says, completely ignoring the sarcasm dripping from Solana's voice, as if he's used to it by now.

Which he is.

"What is this place called again? The Old Chateau?"

"Yeah, I heard reports that it's haunted."

Solana scoffs at that, crossing her arms. "As if I believe that?"

"We'll see... hehe," Lunick says darkly, holding a flashlight up to his face that he seemingly pulled out of nowhere, which earns him a smack from Solana. "Ow!"

"Let's get this over with."

"This is perfect timing too, it's almost night time!" Lunick remarks, following after the blunette. She makes a grab for the door knob and hesitates to open it.

"What? Are you scared already?" the darker blunette says in a teasing tone.

"Of course not!" Solana snaps back. "I'm just making sure that the door won't fall on me when I open it!"

"Suurrreee," he drawls out, obviously unconvinced by her words. The blunette rolls her eyes. "You're annoying sometimes." With that, she slowly twists the door knob and cautiously pulls the door wide open.

As she does so, a flock of Zubat fly out, causing Solana to freak out. "Bats, bats, BATS! EEEEEEEK!"

"Chill Sol!" Lunick tries to calm the girl down from her bat-phobia. He still can't believe that the level-headed Solana would break down when she sees bats. Maybe that's where Kate got her fear of bats from as well...

"They're just Zubat! We probably just startled them!"

The blunette tries to calm herself down by counting to ten and taking deep breaths.

"Oookay... maybe this was a bad idea."

Solana glares at the male. "Who ever said that this was a good idea in the first place?"

Lunick whistles innocently, hands behind his head. He starts walking in, with Solana following right behind him. The inside of the chateau looks just as old as the outside. The tile floor is chipped, with cracks all around, allowing grass to sprout up. Chairs are spread throughout the entrance in different positions. Some are broken or missing a leg or two. Wilted potted plants are in the corners and on tables. The carpets are moth-eaten.

They have only entered the foyer.

"So... what exactly is there to look at?" Solana asks, fully recovering from the bat-attack.

"Well... uh..." Lunick scratches his cheeks sheepishly. "Let's go around and check this place out."

The blunette shrugs. There isn't much else to decide on. Honestly, she thinks this whole thing is silly. The duo walk from room to room, checking the antiques.

"Uh... is it me or are we being watched?" Lunick asks nervously. Solana raises an eyebrow.

"No, it's just you."

"But..." Something sends chills down his spine.

"Lun, you're the one that wanted to come here," the blunette scolds, putting her hands on her hips. "Now stop acting so scared."

He doesn't seem to be paying attention, for his eyes have traveled to the corner. "Uh... did those eyes just move?"

"Hm?" The girl turns to where the male Ranger directed to see a portrait of a little girl with a red bow on her head. It looks normal enough, just a bit tattered and faded from time. "What are you talking about? Paintings don't move."

"I swear, that one did."

"Lun!" Solana scowls. "What's the point of coming here if you're scared?"

"Someone told me that we should investigate this place a while ago so I thought that it would a good little side trip!" the male argues.

"...When was that?"

"A month ago?"

Solana facepalms. "You waited for a month to do this?!"

"I got distracted!"

She rolls her eyes. "Alright then, tell me, what are we supposed to investigate?"

"Some lady said that the Old Chateau in Eterna Forest always makes noises at night. She said that it was ruining the peace in the forest, but she doesn't have time to check for the source since she's a Gym Leader."

"What's her name?"

"I think it was Gardenia."

"Hm..." Solana hums to herself while tapping a finger to her chin. "I think I've heard of her before..."

Tap, tap, tap.

The two turn around to see who had tapped them on the shoulder, but no one was there.

"A-anyways... let's continue." The girl agrees, choosing to ignore that odd occurrence just now, and both of them exit out of the room. Unbeknownst to them, red eyes are trailing after their figures, and the flickering of the T.V. reveals a mischievous grin.

The rooms seem to be endless, and they're tired by the fifth room they visit.

"This is ridiculous!" Solana exclaims in frustration. "How many rooms are there in this chateau?!"

"Uh... Sol...?"

"What?" Minum and Plusle are hugging each other while shaking in fear.

The color of Lunick's face drains away, making him sheet-white. It's as if he has seen a ghost or something. The blunette sighs, "This better not be a joke."

She turns around after Lunick points behind her, and she too, pales.

The pounding of their heart line up in sync, becoming the only thing that they can hear, and the sound throbs in their ears.

Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Ba-thump.

Correction, Lunick did see a ghost, or what appears to be one. It looks like the girl in the painting that they saw earlier, only translucent. She ambles across the hall from one room to another. Her head turns to the duo, with glowing red eyes, sending a chilling sensation down their spines. Her eyes stay on the Rangers as she walks through the wall.

Lunick and Solana blink once, twice, three times, before giving a reaction.

"So... believe in haunted houses now?"

Solana can't find her voice to speak, so she nods robotically instead, her eyes wide and her pupils small. Both of them are rooted to their spots, their bodies refusing to budge no matter how much their minds yell at them to move.

There suddenly comes a creak, followed by an eerie laugh that resonates through the hall.

"C-c-can we... go now?" she squeaks, trembling.

"Mhm..." Lunick replies with a nod, also trembling. Before they know it, they are sprinting away – but in what direction? They run aimlessly, their minds speeding at a mile per second and their hearts threatening to leave their chest, possibly to go hide under a rock.

"Where... are we?" Solana asks after coming to a stop to catch her breath.

"Dunno, but from the looks of it, we're at-"

He stops.

"...Lun?" The blunette gives the boy a strange look upon seeing his mouth freeze agape. His eyes widen, his pupils shrink, and he starts wavering in fear. Solana looks to where he is, and freezes once more. In front of them is the dining room, and inside there's a translucent old man, in what looks to be a butler uniform, standing next to a chair, as if ready to serve someone tea. He's facing the table and his feet are floating a few inches off the ground.

When the old man starts to turn and float towards the wall, Solana almost has a second freak-out, but something seems caught in her throat and she can't make a sound.

Lunick tugs at the blunette, mobilizing her once more, and they begin to get out of there, but when they get to the door that leads to the dining room, it flies open. Their hearts stop and a sinking feeling fills them.

Solana clutches onto Lunick's arm tightly, fearing what they will see.

"Hello."

The Ranger duo blink upon seeing three teens at the door. One boy with blonde hair, another with black hair, and in the middle, a girl with navy blue hair. They each wear distinctively colored scarves of green, red, and pink, respectively.

"W-who are you?" Lunick asks. "Are you three ghosts?"

The girl tilts her head to the side. "Ghosts? I think not."

"I didn't know there were people here," the blonde says. "Didn't Gardenia say this place was haunted or something?"

"Wait, Gardenia sent you?" Solana said in disbelief. They look no older than thirteen! How could anyone send children to investigate a haunted house?!

"Please, Pearl," says the girl calmly. "I do not believe that such a phenomenon could take place."

"But Missy," says the boy with the red scarf, who is currently munching on a sandwich, "It's better safe than sorry. We should be on guard just in case."

"I guess you have a point, Diamond." The girl whose name is apparently 'Missy' looks at the Ranger Duo. "May I ask who you two are and what your business is with this place?"

"Well, uh, I'm Lunick and the girl next to me is Solana... and we were told by Gardenia to investigate this building..."

"But that was a month ago," Solana growls.

"Hey! I thought that this was as good of a time as any!"

"You goof off too much!" Solana snaps. "Next time, I'm picking where we're going to go! How can this be more relaxing?! And you only just told me that this was a request from someone!"

'Missy' giggles subtly at their petty quarrel. Pearl looks at her in surprise and asks, "Did you just giggle?"

"No, I did not," she replies with a poker face and monotone.

"Liar! You did!"

"It must have been your imagination."

Pearl grumbles, knowing that she wouldn't admit it, no matter what he says. He directs his attention to the two strangers instead. "So, what do you two do? I see that you guys have matching uniforms."

"Us?" Both Lunick and Solana point at themselves simultaneously. "We're Pokémon Rangers."

The trio wears looks of confusion. "Rangers? You mean the forest Rangers?"

"What? Oh no," Solana giggles. "We're Pokémon Rangers specialized in helping out people and Pokémon alike. We work along with Pokémon, but we don't catch them in Pokéballs. We're mostly centralized in the Fiore, Almia, and Obliva regions, where there are no trainers."

"No trainers?" Missy repeats, clearly interested in the subject.

"Yep," Lunick grins. "When we need help with some kind of situation, we ask Pokémon to lend us their powers for a short time, and then they can go free after things settle back down."

"...Fascinating."

Suddenly, there's a vroom sound and the group look into the hall way to see... a moving lawnmower? "What the..."

When it starts to chase them down, all of them run for their lives... except for Missy, who just stands there and watch them run around the room. It's strange how it's not chasing after her, and is she seeing a face on that lawnmower?

"Why is that thing chasing us?!" Lunick exclaims.

"I don't know, but I've had enough of this!" Solana says, coming to a stop. "Plusle, Shock Wave!"

"Plus!" The mouse Pokémon jumps from her shoulder and releases a shock wave, but it's only eaten by the machine. Wait, what?

"It just ate the lighting!" Diamond shouts.

"Thanks for the obvious, Dia!" Pearl says in annoyance as they continue to run. Missy nonchalantly fishes out her Pokédex and aims it at the lawnmower to see if it can be identified as a Pokémon.

"It's a Rotom," she informs after taking a look at the Dex screen, though she is intrigued as to why the picture is different than the actual one in front of her.

"A what?!" Pearl calls.

"Rotom, a ghost and electric type," Missy repeats, proceeding to read the description. "'It has an electric-like body that can enter some kinds of machines and take control in order to make mischief.' So perhaps it has taken control of the lawnmower."

"So... it just wants to have fun?!" Solana exclaims as the rest of them continue to run.

"Then..." Lunick looks around for anything that will help. Before he spots anything, all of them hear laughter from elsewhere. "Did you guys hear that?!"

"Yeah... where's it coming from?" Solana asks aloud.

"Look!" Diamond points up to a portrait and its trailing red eyes.

"See?" Lunick faces the blunette. "I told you those eyes moved!"

"This is a different portrait!" Solana complains. "But still, that's not supposed to happen!"

Missy sees a book on the table and decides to take a look. It looks to be an old notebook. The pages are fragile, and the letters faded. She can only make out a few of the words that are scrawled on it.

"Som...hing so pecu...r shou... make off ...ith the mot..."

What could that mean?

"G-g-ghost!" Pearl exclaims, pointing to the portrait with the following red eyes. The person in the picture disappears, and in front of the portrait floats a translucent girl with a bow on her head. Next to her is the old man in the butler uniform.

The little girl is giggling uncontrollably, while the old man chuckles.

The group that had been chased by the Rotom in the lawnmower now screams and runs out of the chateau, wishing to never come back – indeed, that they had never come at all.

"Aren't you scared?" asks the little girl to Missy, who only stares after the retreating figures.

"No," Missy deadpans. "Even in the face of ghosts, I am still skeptical of their existence."

* * *

**And that's that! Next chapter will be back to Kate and Kellyn.**

**It's not much but that's all I got...**

**I don't know if it's supposed to be scary since that kinda went down the drain at the end...so it's up to you guys to decide if it's scary or in some way funny.**

**P.S. This idea came up while I was thinking of Platina's reaction to the supernaturals XD**


	20. Chapter 20 - Docking A Ship

Chapter 20 - Docking a Ship

**o-o yas, managed to get another chapter within a week! Though last chapter was just a side story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Enjoy!**

* * *

I stare down at the man in the golden dress shirt and red vest. The swirl of blonde hair at the corner of his head bounces up and down a bit. I had had my suspicions when I saw the room, but I'm still a little surprised that it is him.

"You..."

"I what?"

Barlow coughs and pinches his nose. "You got a lot of hair spray on!"

I facepalm. Was that really necessary? Though I do have to admit, that man uses way too much spray on his hair.

"I did not!" Kincaid exclaims. "I made sure I used just the right amount so that my hair wouldn't get too damp, but still shines!"

I raise an incredulous brow. "What?" I think I prefer the 'No running in the halls' Kincaid. This one seems to be a bit more annoying.

He clears his throat and leers at me. "I hope you're not causing trouble in the ship's hallways, now." Speak of the devil.

"Then I think you're going to have to keep hoping, Kincaid," I reply.

"Oh?" He smirks. "It seems that you remember me after all. We haven't met since the graduation ceremony, after all, and I wasn't even your teacher. I heard there were two Rangers that infiltrated this ship. I assume one of them is you, correct?"

He looks around, and doesn't wait for an answer. "Where's the other one? Which of the two other pests did you bring with you? What were their names again? Kat and Kennith?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "It's Kate and Keith."

"Ah, yes," he says leisurely. "You K trio were quite the annoyance. Even though I used to be the teacher that you all loved, I couldn't stand all those kids. Especially you three."

"Is _that_ your reason for joining Team Dim Sun?" I hiss.

"No no, not at all," he says with a wave of his hand. "You see, I was only pretending to be the teacher of that forsaken school. I never had the intention of switching sides, since I'm already comfortable where I am."

"Go figure," I say loathingly. "I never viewed you as a good guy anyways."

Kincaid cackles. "I'll take that as a compliment."

He takes off his shirt and vest to reveal the black uniform that Team Dim Sun wears, with the addition of a cape and sunglasses. "For I am the guiding light of Team Dim Sun!" He strikes a ridiculous pose.

Barlow and I switch into a defensive position, waiting for him to make his move.

"I'll see to it that people who run in the hallway don't belong anywhere!" With a snap of his fingers, the doors on both sides of the deck swing open, revealing grunts who file out and surround us. Some of them take out Mini Gigaremos and call forth a herd of Rhyhorn and a pack of Stunky. It looks like there's still more coming in.

Barlow and I have our backs against each other as we face the enemy. "How many of these clowns are going to appear?" asks Barlow.

"Don't know," I reply brusquely, not taking my eyes off of the grunts. "But we'll have to clean up the mess."

* * *

Kate's POV

"Pachi!" I call after my Pachirisu, wondering where it had gone off to. Behind me are a few unconscious grunts who had come after me. They didn't put up much of a fight, though.

I call my Pokémon once more and this time, I hear a response. It's coming from the lower level of the ship, where Kellyn and I entered from. How did she get all the way down there?

I round a corner and come face-to-face with another grunt. I yelp in surprise and my reflexes kick in, causing me to karate chop him square in the face, knocking him out. "Oops."

* * *

Kellyn's POV

Fighting all of these Pokémon would just take too much energy. I try to formulate a plan in my head as some of the grunts order the Pokémon to commence their attacks, while others just charge forward. I take out my Styler and strap it onto my arm.

"Capture on!" I exclaim, using my index and middle finger as a guide for the disc's movement. "Pachirisu, paralyze them!"

"Chupa!"

While he does that, the disc encircles a cluster of frozen Rhyhorn and Stunky, making them my target. It only takes a few circles before a solid one forms and encases them in a bright light. With that, one of the Mini Gigaremos explodes, followed by the screams of some grunts.

I sense someone behind me and spin around, grabbing a fist that was meant for me. I swing the grunt and slam him against another, causing them to fall with him. I duck, avoiding another hit, and spin with one knee bent and my other leg stretched out, knocking two grunts down to the ground. I throw a punch to the next grunt and elbow another that comes after me. This seems to go on and on.

This is seriously annoying and a waste of time

"Aaack!" I hear Barlow struggling. My eyes travel to where he is to see that he is being strangled by a Drapion. He tries to free himself by grabbing onto the poison/ground type's pincers, but they're locked in a death drip. He kicks his legs in the air as he struggles to free himself from the Pokémon that is now lifting him into the air.

Before I can help him, the Drapion seems to have had enough and throws him to the ground. I cringe a little at the force the Pokémon must have used.

"Barlow!" I call out as the man tries to pick himself up. He's unable to, however, and only ends up on all fours, wheezing for air.

"M-my Styler..." he manages to croak out when I near him. I look for any trace of his Styler and find it broken on the floor at the Drapion's feet. I hear Kincaid roar in laughter, a Mini Gigaremo right next to him. He must be the one controlling the Drapion.

Barlow pounds his fist against the metal deck. "Dammit! I'm useless now...!"

"That's all you've got?" Kincaid sneers. "Where's that pumped-up spirit now? These Mini Gigaremos are just so useful! Oh, Kellyn, you might be interested as to who designed these."

I silently glare at him, and he takes it as an invitation to continue.

"There was, and is, a boy genius that only comes along once a century, if that. And to recruit him, I took a position at that stupid Ranger school. Doesn't that surprise you?"

"What?!" Barlow exclaims. "You used the Ranger School for something like that?!"

Boy genius... does he mean... "Where is he now?"

"Do you really think I would tell you?" Kincaid says disdainfully. "Enough talk, Drapion, finish them off!"

I shoot my arm out and aim at the approaching Pokemon. "Capture on!" The disc comes off and, putting my index and middle finger together, I guide it to Drapion. It notices this and tries to destroy the disc, but I move the blue top away from him and try to encircle him once more.

After some time, it tires of chasing after the disc and decides to come after me. I take this chance to finally spin the disc around him. When he attacks with a Sludge Bomb, I jump out of the way while maintaining my focus on the capture. The acid melts through the deck floor, making a hole. Another hole appears as it tries to attack me again.

When I see the solid white loop around the Drapion, I make my movements faster, racing to bring the circle to encase the poison/ground type. My disc returns to my hand as a bright light appears.

"Capture comple-" A rumble interrupts me. I'm caught off-guard and fall to the floor. I look at Kincaid to see a smirk on his face.

That little...

"Looks like I underestimated you, Kellyn," he remarks, "but this is the end. This ship will be the final resting place of you and all of the Pokémon within!"

"Captain!" calls a grunt that came out of the room behind Kincaid. "The Kingston Valve has been successfully unlatched!"

"That's my cue to leave." He gets out another Mini Gigaremo and calls a Gliscor to take him away. I try to run after him, but the Pokémon flies too high for me to reach.

"Captain! Don't leave us!" cries one of the grunts, but it's no use. Kincaid has gone too far to be able to hear a word – and probably wouldn't have cared anyway. That no-good scum, leaving his men here like disposable trash.

"Abandon ship!" cries another grunt. The remaining members of Team Dim Sun, that I haven't knocked out, at least, jump ship. The rest, of course, remain lying on the ground, out cold.

"Kellyn, we need to save the ship, and the Pokémon on it!" With that, he runs into the control room, and I quickly follow. "I've never handled a ship this size, but we're running out of options!"

I look at a map on the wall, trying to find where we are and where the ship should go. Comparing it to the coordinates on the ship's console, I find... "Barlow, the closest ports are in Pueltown! But..." I turn to check on the state of the vessel. "We're already taking on water, I don't think we'll stay afloat for that long!"

"Tch." Barlow clenches his teeth. He starts to look around the control room and types in some things before taking the steering wheel. "We'll have to use the ship's radio to contact people from the Vien Town base."

There's a static noise before I hear Crawford's voice.

"Who is this?"

"Crawford?" Barlow bellows. "This is Barlow! We have taken over a Team Dim Sun ship, but it's sinking. I'm using the ship's radio to contact you right now. Considering the situation we're in, I don't think that we'll make it, so this might be my final words." His words are followed by a chuckle.

More static. "This is no time to joke, Barlow! Plus, that's the worst one I ever heard!"

"Crawford's right! You can't die!" comes Luana's urgent voice.

Crawford speaks once again."You have to reach the shallow water and beach the ship! If you can't do that, then abandon the ship and save yourselves!" Another rumble sends me off balance, and I have to grab hold of the Chart Table to stable myself.

"We're not going to just leave all of the Pokémon on board and save ourselves!" Barlow exclaims. "That's not how a Ranger works!"

"But-"

"We'll dock it," I interrupt. "We just need to buy some more time and keep the ship from sinking faster than it already is. The valve's in the lowest level of the ship, right?"

"Right." Barlow responds with a nod.

"Then I'll go and plug it back in."

"Wait! I got it!" comes Kate's voice through the radio.

"Kate?" I say with furrowed brows. "Are you okay? Where are you? How are you talking to us?"

"Um... I'm fine, I took some admin's radio, and I'm close to the bottom of the ship... I can see the valve from where I am, so I'll go!" she replies.

"Kate! Come back here! It's too dangerous!" I exclaim, hoping that she will oblige. Before she can respond, the ship quakes again.

"Yikes!" Kate exclaims at the other end. "I'm okay! No need to worry!"

"That's when I worry the most," I mutter under my breath.

"Anyways, I just have to put it back in, right?" Kate says, making it sound like a piece of cake. Then, somehow, she's laughing, saying, "It's pretty ironic - I wanted to sink the ship earlier!"

I look to the electronic blueprint of the ship to see the water level rising. It looks like we only have about four minutes before this thing goes under. "Kate, get back here now. I'll go do it."

"Why can't I do it? I'm already here!" she replies in a whiny kind of voice. Ugh, this is just irritating me. Why is she so stubborn?

"Just listen to me for once!"

"I'll listen to you after this! I won't just sit back and watch." Her communication terminates, just like that. I smash my hands onto the console. "Dammit!"

_"Am I only a kid in your eyes?"_ Her words run through my head.

"Sometimes... it's difficult to differentiate." Heaving a sigh, I run to the stairs, ready to go save her from whatever mess she's going to get herself into this time.

* * *

Kate's POV

"Tch, why is he so stubborn?" I mutter, climbing back onto the rails that I fell off of during the last quake.

"Chupa!"

"Mime mime!"

"I'm fine!" I assure the Pokémon by my side when I sit down to catch a breather. I look down from where I am to see that there's only one floor before I reach the ship's bottom, and where all the seawater is coming in.

All I have to do is to put the valve back, but... I might have a small problem. How exactly am I going to get that giant metallic thing back to its place? A normal human definitely cannot lift that up by themselves.

...I'll get to that when I get there.

I start down the stairs and come across some panicking Pokémon rushing past me. My eyes catch sight of two Machoke, and the timing couldn't be better! I fish out my Styler and aim it at the two Pokémon.

"Pachi, paralyze them for me."

"Chupa!" She raises her tiny paw up in compliance, her cheeks flaring up with electricity.

"Capture on!"

...

"Hm..." I look over the rails to see the rising water. I can't walk on the floor, since the water is rising too fast. I decide to climb over and walk on top of the giant cargo crates, the two Machoke, Pachirisu, and Mime Jr. following me.

"Machoke, could you lift those?" I ask, pointing to the metallic valve atop a crate. They nod, make their way over to it, and start lifting. Even with the strength of two, the Machoke look like they are having trouble lifting it up.

"Hold on, I'll help." I jog over to them and grab the rim of the plate. Using all of our strength, we manage to lift it and make our way to the end of the crate to see where to throw the plug down to. However, the water is too deep to tell.

"If I can remember..." I try to recollect where I saw the valve when Kellyn and I came in. "There." I nudge my head towards a spot in the water and with a swing, we toss it over.

"Aahh!" As we toss it, another quake comes. Already off-balance, I'm swept off my feet. Next thing I know, I'm underwater. I hear a loud clang and open my eyes to see the valve laying on the ground, halfway closing the whole on the ground. I swim over to it and try to push it, but to no avail. I don't think I'll have time to swim up and call the Machoke to help me push – I'll run out of air.

I try to push it again, but my strength still fails me. A few water Pokémon are sucked into the ship and swim around frantically in confusion. In the process, I get knocked over by a Corsola and hit something hard. My mouth involuntarily opens, making me lose more air. I feel the water entering my lungs, and I want to cough, but I restrain myself, knowing that that will only make it worse.

A flash of light and a shock drill through my head, along with images.

...

_There was a splash, then a yelp. A little brunette watched in horror as a Pokémon struggled to keep its head out of the water._

_"Hold on!" she called out. "I'll help you!"_

_She was about to jump into the lake, but something stopped her._

_"Gotcha!" said someone behind her. "Hehe, the boss will be really happy now."_

_"What are you doing?!" the brunette exclaimed, kicking the air. "Let me go! That Pokémon is in trouble!"_

_"Shut your trap, forest girl!" the man behind her hissed. "Do you know how much trouble it was to find this hidden forest?"_

_She looked up in confusion, but refused to stop struggling. In the end, she decided to bite his arm, causing the man to scream in pain and loosen his grip. The little girl took this opportunity to run away. She was about to jump into the lake to save the Pokémon, since she could still see the air bubbles coming to the surface._

_A gun shot was heard, and pain spread through her body. She fell into the lake, and her last sight was the Pokémon drowning, with no way of getting back up._

...

I don't want to sit back and watch... not again. I could swear that I see a smile in my head before another flash of light blinds my eyes.

* * *

Third-Person POV

The valve moves – an extremely small movement, but it still moves. It soon covers the entirety of the hole in the ship. Blue eyes glow in the water, an ominous light. It soon disappears, and an air bubble escapes, resurfacing without its owner.

There's a splash and the outline of someone swimming towards the girl who now sleeps at the bottom on the ship.

...

"Huh?" Barlow mutters, noticing something. "It stopped... Kate must've stopped it! That will give us the time to get to land." He then chuckles. "That Kellyn, he's worrying over nothing."

"Maku Makuhita!" calls his fighting-type Pokémon, pointing to something in the window.

"What is it?" He goes over to check and sees a small island at 3' o'clock. "That's perfect! There's even a small pier, wooden, though... but good enough!" He turns to his Pokémon and gives it a thumbs up. "Good eyes, Makuhita!"

The Pokémon smiles proudly.

"Now, hang on everyone!" he exclaims, taking the steering wheel. By everyone, he means the Pokémon that had come into the control room. "This is not going to be pretty!"

He grabs the wheel by one of the handles and spins it with all of his might, causing the wheel to spin rapidly. The ship turn sharply to the right, causing the Pokémon on board to be flinged to the right.

...

At the pier

...

"Today's so boring!" whines a boy in a Ranger School uniform.

"Oh stop, you say that about every day," scolds a girl, putting her hands on her hips.

"I just wish something would happen!"

The girl huffs in annoyance and stares out to sea, only to be met by something extraordinary. "Um... Y-you should be careful of what you wish for!"

"What?" The boy raises an eyebrow at the girl, then turns in the direction that she is looking at and pales. There's a ship coming their way, a huge one. Both teens scream and run off to warn the others of the approaching ship and its impending crash landing.

CRASH!

The ground shakes as if an earthquake had hit. Pieces of the ship and the pier fly in every direction, creating a hole that both Pokémon and water begin to trickle out of. Soon, the whole school is present to witness the shocking phenomenon.

"What in the name of Arceus is going on here?!" exclaims Ms. April in utter astonishment. "What is a ship that size doing at our school?!"

Crawford and Luana come up directly after, both looking like they had rushed to the School. They all look up to see Barlow standing on the deck.

"Nice one Barlow!" Luana cheers with a thumbs up.

"I have to hand it to you Barlow!" Crawford hollers. "That's an incredible display of split-second decision making!"

The bulky man grins and makes a leap for the ground, followed by his partner Pokémon. "Hehe, thanks, but..." He frowns.

The principal of the school furrows his brows. "This pier seems to have been inadequate to dock a ship that caliber. What exactly is taking place here?"

Crawford goes on to explain the current situation, while Barlow looks around frantically for something.

"What's wrong?" Luana queries, seeing his behavior. Barlow's frown deepens. "...Kate and Kellyn, have they come out yet?"

The female Ranger tilts her head and thinks for a moment, then shakes her head. "We only saw you and the Pokémon that were captured. Of course, we might have missed something... We came here as quick as we could after we heard about the giant ship docking at the Trainer School.

The color of Barlow's face drains. "It couldn't be..." He stares at the blackish-purple ship. He cups his hands around his mouth and starts shouting.

"Kate! Kellyn! Are you two still in there?!" His shouts get everyone else's attention, and a hush passes through the crowd. They look to the ship, anticipating the sight of the duo coming out – surely any second now.

One second. Two seconds. A minute passes without anything happening. Time seems to stand still, and a sinking feeling is beginning to manifest itself, but Barlow continues calling.

They're about to enter the ship and search when a hand reaches up and grabs onto the edge of the hole that the crash created. From out of the shadows comes Kellyn, looking injured, most likely from the crash. He holds an unconscious Kate in his arms. Both of them look soaking wet in their clothes.

His wet bangs blind one of his eyes as he limps out. Judging from the tired breaths he's heaving, he's exhausted as well.

"Kate! Kellyn!" Barlow yells, and he, Luana, and Crawford run up to them. Kellyn's legs give out, and he drops down to one knee.

"Are you okay?!" Barlow asks in worry.

"Your crash landing... was a little too rough..." Kellyn lets out a feeble chuckle before collapsing.

* * *

**And...done! Hoped you liked it! **

**The next chapter will be... when I have the motivation. It doesn't help when I get ideas for other stories instead either! Q-Q**

**~Review/Feedbacks**


	21. Chapter 21 - Mishaps and Reunions

Chapter 21 - Mishaps and Reunions

**Reviews(...I seriously can't remember the last time I replied to reviews, maybe all the way back to chapter 18?)**

**_The Lady of Dragons - Thank you for the support! And I'll try to bring my focus back to Pokemon Ranger since I'm done with Black 2 &amp; White 2! But motivation is my only push right now...I need to find another one._**

**_122 Generation - I'm flattered that you took time to read this fan fic ^^' University came be a bit rough can't it? I'll be in the spot in the following year XD_**

**_caird56 - Sorry for the late delay~! Enjoy the chapter 'kay?_**

**_pokegirl2 - Thanks! I'll try my best to write the chapters as best as I can! And don't worry, Kate and Kellyn are alright as this chapter will say. And for the dream, you just have to wait and find out~ ;)_**

**_Killfith - Thanks! I couldn't really find a cover that I liked and it took until now to find it XD And I'll work on them being a tag team later on._**

**_ChelseaJackson - Google translate: Estoy feliz de ver que revisar mis capítulos ! Así que voy a tratar de entrada tanto Almiashipping como pueda pero apesto en el romance así que no esperes mucho ;-;_**

**_Eeveeleah - your favorite character is Kinclaid? XD Or is that sarcasm? Sorry, I have hard time telling if people are joking or not._**

**_Dhiren Pooran - Happy to hear that you loved the story!_**

**_Cynderheart456 - I'm sorry ;-; but I have mix opinions about cliffies, since they can be enjoyable when you're the one writing about it but not fun when you're the reader waiting to find out what happens._**

**_Shadow390 - Thanks for the compliment!_**

**I'm sorry that I haven't been updating this story as recently as I liked or reply to the reviews. I was focused on finishing another fanfic and preparing for college. And now since I'm done, I'll refocus on Pokemon Ranger! Not sure if you would be happy about that but yay anyways!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

_I'm standing in the middle of a forest, though I don't know how I got here in the first place. I cup my hands around my mouth and shout - "Hello?! Is anyone there?!"_

_"Bi bi!" comes a high-pitched voice that echoes through the entire area. I try to follow it to the source, but I end up getting lost instead - as if I wasn't lost already. I look around again, but it's no use. Even though the forest is still, I can't hear the voice again._

_I see that my surroundings are slowly being engulfed by shadows. I back away from them, feeling a little scared of what is happening. The trees and bushes turn into shadow and slowly travel upward before crashing down on me._

...

My eyes flutter open and I gasp for air. Looking around, I realize that I'm not in a forest anymore, I'm in a room. White walls and ceiling, plus the blanket that covers me is of the color white as well.

... Am I in a hospital?

I let my eyes trail along the room, finding Pachi sleeping, all curled up, but my eyes don't stop traveling until they fall onto a sleeping figure right at the side of the bed I'm resting on, which is also white, if I might add. A boy, donning a Ranger uniform with chestnut brown hair and a haircut that resem- wait... isn't that Kellyn?

I push myself up silently to take a closer look and confirm that it is him. He looks to be sleeping soundly right now, with his head resting sideways on his folded arms.

I get bored, so I decide to prod his cheek.

"Cute," I say absentmindedly.

"Mm...?"

"Oh crap!" I exclaim, thrusting my hands up to the side in start, which accidentally wakes Pachi up. She perks up upon seeing me and climbs up my shoulder to nuzzle my cheek affectionately.

Kellyn starts waking up right at that moment as well, yawning and stretching in his seat.

"'Morning Kate," he greets, sounding still half-asleep. The way he is right now - he's rubbing his eye - it's as if he's still a cute little kid waking up from a serene sleep.

"M-Morning!" I say quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up from my thoughts and what I said earlier. I hope he didn't hear what I said...

I then notice that he's patched up with bandages. "What happened to you? You look like you just came back from a fight."

Kellyn raises a brow and says, "Speak for yourself." He makes a head motion at me and I look at my hands to see them wrapped in bandages as well.

"Uh... Why am I-" I blink, suddenly remembering what happened. "Oh."

"How are you feeling?" Kellyn queries.

"What do you mean?" I ask. "I'm feeling just fine."

"You were out for three days," he deadpans.

"Really - wait WHAT?!" I snap my attention to him in disbelief. I try straightening up, but a sharp pain shoots up my back, causing me to grimace. It must have been the Corsola knocking me against... something, but seriously? Three days?

"I've been asleep in the hospital for three days?!" I voice out my disbelief.

"Actually," Kellyn says, "this is the Ranger Union's medical wing."

"...Oh. Wait, that doesn't change anything!"

"I'm just correcting you."

"Kate!" comes Luana's voice, accompanied by the slamming of the door. "You're finally awake!"

And then in come Luana, Barlow, Elaine, and Crawford, all with looks of relief. "It took you long enough to wake up from your beauty sleep!" Crawford jokes. He then notices Kellyn in the room as well.

"Still here, ey?" Crawford smirks.

"Huh?" I say, dropping my head to my shoulder as to show my puzzlement. Kellyn coughs, but I can't tell if it's a real one or a fake one because he changes the subject right after.

"When you're feeling better," he says as he stands up, "Professor Hastings wants to speak with you."

"Okay," I reply, getting up already.

"I said _when_ you're feeling better," Kellyn states sternly, putting emphasis on the word.

I stare at him cluelessly, "...But I'm fine right now."

"I sincerely doubt that."

"Please, you say it as if I've forgotten how to walk." I roll my eyes and continue trying to stand up, only to fall back down on the bed with a soft "Oof." My legs are still asleep, I see.

I look up at Kellyn to see him wearing a smoldering look of smugness. My eye twitches, "Always have to be right..." I mutter beneath my breath.

"I'll leave you guys to talk," Kellyn says, strolling away, but he stops briefly by Crawford to give him what I guess is a threatening, dark look. Crawford chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his neck.

Okay... That was weird.

"Phew," Crawford lets out a breath that he was holding after Kellyn leaves. "That kid didn't need to take everything so seriously."

Barlow chuckles, "That's Kellyn for you!"

"It's kind of cute though, don't you think?" Luana muses, gaining questioning looks from some of us. "The way he hides it."

"Hides what?" I pipe.

"You know, he waited in this room until you woke up," Crawford smirks.

"..." I blink several times as my brain tries to comprehend that information. It's still a bit slow, though, and all I have for a reply is- "Eh?"

"The fact that he- Mmphg!"

Luana wraps a hand around Crawford's mouth so that he can't finish his sentence. "Let her find out herself," I hear Luana mutter through her barely sealed lips.

"Crawford," Elaine sighs while shaking her head. "You're such a big mouth." She then turns to me with a smile. "Don't mind them, okay?"

"Sure...?" I reply uncertainly. "By the way, what are you guys doing here?"

"Just seeing if you're awake," Barlow replies. "You really took a number back there. But despite almost drowning, you saved the ship from sinking, as well as the Pokémon on board! That's the best I've ever seen any one of us perform!"

Crawford and Luana give Barlow an accusing look. "Are you saying that our performances are lousy?" Luana inquires.

"Uh..." Barlow reels back in uneasiness as the two tower over him for an answer. "N-no, I mean... it's just that Kate risked her own life for the safety of others, including mine!"

Luana giggles with a hand in front of her mouth and leans back. "Oh, Barlow, we're just missing with you!"

"Yeah, Kate deserves all the praise she can get!" Crawford grins.

"Oh, we also brought some other people that wanted to see you," Elaine speaks up, letting said people in. My sister practically pounces on me when she come in, creating a slight pain – but it's bearable.

"You're okay! You're okay!" Lila wails with tears seeping from the corner of her eyes. I pat her head to comfort her.

"Of course I am."

"We're so relieved to see you're awake, Kate!" my mom says in an anxious tone.

"How are you feeling?" my dad asks. "You're not hurt, are you?"

I shake my head. "I'm fine! I'm tougher than you guys think, y'know!"

"Still the same spirited Kate," comes a chuckle that I immediately recognize. I jerk my head up in astonishment to I see Ms. April standing behind everyone, her eyes dancing with joy and relief.

Reading how confounded I am, she continues to speak. "I'm here to see how one of my former students are doing. Even though I'm not your teacher anymore, I still feel concern about your well-being. But let me say this, I am very proud of you."

Those are the words that every student would like to hear from their teacher or parents. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and happiness to be praised. Even if I'm not a student anymore, I feel happy to hear it.

"Thanks, Ms. April!" I pipe.

* * *

After all of them leave to give me some peace of mind, I find it too quiet, even with Pachi with me. So, to cure that, I stalk out of bed, but my legs lock up. I exercise them for a good ten minutes before I can walk - almost - normally again.

Remembering what Kellyn said about Professor Hastings wanting to talk to me, Pachi and I leave in search of where the Professor is right now. We stop in front of a room that I remember as the Conference Room, which has a computer screen for the floor.

"Maybe he's in there," I mutter to myself before knocking, which is kind of useless since it's an automatic sliding door. The door hisses lowly and makes an opening for me to enter.

I peep in like I did the first time I entered this room to see Professor Hastings, Murph, Wendy, and Chairperson Erma discussing something.

"Um... hello?" I say, getting their attention. I hold onto the door frame and lean in, keeping the lower half of my body outside.

Murph is the first to speak. "Kate? Aren't you supposed to be resting in the medical wing?"

"Well, I-" Someone interrupts me before I can finish my answer, and it isn't someone within the room.

"HEY! LOOK OUT!"

"Huh-?!" I barely have time to register that the voice is behind me before something slams against my back, causing me fall forward and sprawl on the screen floor with a yelp.

"What's... the big idea?" I grunt, feeling an immense lump of weight on my back, sharpening the pain that I feel in my head. The thing on my back groans in discomfort, giving me the hint that it's a human that was stacked on me; the voice sounds familiar...

"Bui bui!" A Buizel is standing in front of me, looking concerned along with Pachi. Whose Pokémon is this?

"Sorry..." the male voice apologizes and I immediately feel the dead weight lifting from my back, much to my relief. "I was in a hurry since I was... kinda late."

I detect a hand placed in front of me, and I gladly take it. The person helps me up, only for both of us to reel back in shock.

"KATE?!"

"KEITH?!"

We point at each other as we yell each other's names in unison.

"What are you doing here?!" Again, we're synchronized.

"Familiar with each other already?" Chairperson Erma interjects with amusement. Both of us nod in reply, but I have a feeling that she already knew that answer.

Professor Hastings chuckles lightly. "At least there is no need for introductions."

"Bui bui!" The Buizel waves his arms about to get attention.

"Oh," Keith says, picking the Pokémon up. "This is my Pokémon partner, Buizel! We met while I was in the Fiore Region!"

"Nice to meet you." I pat his head and then introduce my Pachirisu to them. "This is Pachi." Both of us put our partners down.

"So, why are we here?" I ask, gaining an incredulous look from Keith.

"What? You mean you don't even know what you were called here for?" he asks. "Weren't you already told?"

"Well, sorry for being unconscious for three days straight," I deadpan with folded arms. "And I was only told that Professor Hastings wanted to talk to me."

Keith stares at me like I'm something on display. "You were what?"

"...At least that's what I'm told," I mutter. Both of us hear Wendy giggle and turn our attention to her.

"I guess Keith hasn't read the Almia Times."

He scoffs. "Newspapers are for old geezers."

"Uh... I would be careful with what you say if I were you," I warn, motioning towards the dark auras emitting from practically everyone except for Murph, who is shifting uncomfortably in the now tense atmosphere.

"Old geezers, huh?" Wendy says with a sweet, yet menacing tone while cracking her knuckles.

"Uh..." Keith panics, beads of sweat dripping down his face. "I - I meant to say... they're um... for people who are full of wisdom?"

I cough, hiding a snicker as Keith buries himself deeper.

"Anyways," Professor Hastings cuts the tension short. "The reason we called you here is because of the rising activity of this new organization calling themselves Team Dim Sun. We have been overlooking your performances, and we decided to promote you two to the rank of Top Ranger to help keep the peace in Almia."

I blink once, twice, three times before what the Professor said soaks in. "WHAAATTT?!" I exclaim incredulously, though I'm squealing with euphoria on the inside.

"We need more Top Rangers in the field now more than ever," Chairperson Erma continues for Professor Hastings. "And we think you two are the best choices for the job, so how about it you two?"

"Hell yeah!" Keith exclaims with a fistpump while I can barely contain myself from jumping about. About time I got there! In your face Kellyn!

"As the twelfth and thirteenth Top Rangers," Professor Hastings says formally, handing each of us a rectangular device that can be strapped to our arms. "I present you two with the Fine Styler."

We return our regular Stylers and marvel at the new ones in our hands – until I realize something. "Wait, twelfth and thirteenth? I thought there were only ten Top Rangers before us."

Keith gains a look of realization as well, and both of us look to the heads of the Ranger Union for an explanation. They only smile and chuckle, as do Murph and Wendy.

...What's so funny?

"It's intriguing that you guys are from the same school – and class if I might add – yet you don't even keep track of each other's progress." Chairperson Erma muses.

"Honestly," Wendy says, "he's the only one that keeps track out of the three of you, isn't he? And he was pretty excited when he found out about your promotions."

"Eh?" Keith and I chime in unison for the third time today, with no comprehension of what's going on.

"As we were saying," Professor Hastings clears his throat, "there was another addition to the Top Rangers earlier in the year and because of his exceptional performance – praised by another Top Ranger, even – he was picked for the eleventh spot, though he was based in Fiore, before transferring here recently."

"What? He was in the Fiore Region? How come I never heard of him when I was based there?" Keith queries. "Who is he?"

I hear a ring and from the corner of my eye, I see Murph looking at his phone and then back up at us. "I just got a message. He should be coming right... about..."

"I GOT HIM!"

"...Now."

Keith and I's curiosity peaks as we turn around... only for Lunick to leap in with a Minun and Pachirisu holding for dear life. Isn't he already a Top Ranger?

"Honestly, Lun!" comes Solana's chastise. "Don't break the screen floor!"

"What's... going on?" I say slowly. Out from behind him, Lunick pulls out a Kellyn - wait. Hold up, rewind.

_...What?_

"Why did you rush?" Kellyn looks calm, yet perturbed at the same time as his Pachirisu climb onto his shoulder. "It's not like they're going anywhere."

"Kellyn?!" Keith points an index finger at him. "What are you doing here? And with _the_ Lunick and Solana?!"

"I like this guy already!" Lunick jabs a thumb at Keith.

"Don't tell me…" I say as it dawns on me. "Kellyn is the eleventh Top Ranger?!"

Kellyn didn't even need to say a word – he simply lifts up his arm, which has a Fine Styler strapped to it.

…What. The. Hell. He wasn't even wearing it when we were in the volcano and the ship!…And there goes the feeling that I finally bested Kellyn at something, washed down the drain just like that.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

Kellyn gazes at me, and I can see an ever-so-small lopsided smile on his face. "Isn't rescuing Barlow and defeating Team Dim Sun of more priority than that?"

I start to fume. "It only takes like, what, a ten-second sentence for something like that?!"

"Those ten seconds could have been when the cargo ship left. Then we wouldn't have even been able to complete our mission," he asserts with folded arms. "We barely infiltrated the cargo ship before it set sail as-is."

My eye twitches. He did not just counter that with another perfectly logical statement.

"Aw," Lunick cuts in, swinging an arm over my shoulder. I instantly know that he's going to tease me about something. "Is Katie upset that her _boyfriend_ kept a secret from her?"

"What?!" both Kellyn and I exclaim at Lunick's bombshell claim. Both of our expressions go crooked, with me burning up and Kellyn losing his composure, which is quite rare if you ask me.

We're not even that close! At least I don't think so… I mean... err… forget I said anything.

"Nice!" Keith pipes with a goofy grin. "Glad to hear that it's still up there! And they even have the same Pokémon partners!"

He and Lunick fist-bump each other, and I can tell they're good friends already. I hear Solana sigh in exasperation.

"Great… Another Lunick."

I would have to agree with that remark. Professor Hastings coughs. "Though I know you all know each other already, why don't you all talk for a while? Oh, and you should also visit the Control Room to meet the Top Operators as well."

With that, the Professor and Chairperson Erma amble out of the Conference Room, leaving us Rangers to our devices. They're such trusting people, leaving us alone in a room with a perfectly good, expensive-looking screen floor. I wonder how much the bill will be to repair it.

"… Let's get out of here before anything happens," Solana advises. She is already taking Lunick by the scuff of his collar and dragging him out. All of us follow right after her.

As we stroll about the Ranger Union, Solana chats with Wendy while Lunick, Keith, and Murph talk about something that's probably nothing good. This left me and Kellyn with an awkward silence between us, mostly because of what Lunick had said earlier.

"So…" I say, trying to break the ice. Kellyn takes a glance at me, showing me that I got his attention. "When did you become a Top Ranger?"

He mulls over my question for a moment before answering. "Not that long after I was sent to Fiore. And since I got Lunick and Solana, it was quicker than I anticipated, though I was a bit surprised at first when I found out that they knew you."

"Huh?" I ask blankly. "How did you find out? Were they talking about me?"

"Talking about you?" Lunick butts in. "Us? Na–" He's stopped by Kellyn elbowing him in the guts. Ouch, that's gotta hurt. I wonder if Lunick was trying to say...

"What he's trying to say is that we were talking about just how much of a klutz you are," Kellyn says calmly.

"…What?!" Soon after that statement, I trip because our Pokémon partners are chasing each other around for fun.

Kellyn reels me back up and sets me back on my feet. "And I rest my case."

"Shut up," I growl back, a vein already popping on my head.

We head up the escalator and into the Control Room. Ah, I remember the last time I was here. What fun that was.

"I see you have come to meet our Top Operators," Chairperson Erma says with a warm smile. "Just like Top Rangers, they're a few of the best Operators there are, though they tend to chat more than they work."

"Chairperson Erma!" protests a blunette that steps out of her seat at the control panel. She stands on the second level of the Control Room, with her hand on her hip. She's wearing a white blouse with a turquoise-colored blazer over it, a skirt, and short brown heels. I somewhat recognize her… because I accidentally knocked her off of her seat last time I was here. "You're making us sound bad! We put 100% effort in our job!"

She then looks at us. "Hello new Top Rangers! My name's Linda and unlike what Chairperson Erma just said, I'm not the chatty type, but I'm not the silent type either. So I guess I'm a combination of both!"

"Yo," greets a boy as he leans off to the right side of his seat. "Name's Marcus, but you don't have to memorize my name if you've already got too many, seeing where you're at."

We hear the squeak of the seat to the left of the control panels and see someone approaching us and standing next to Linda. Keith's and my eyes bulge out of their sockets when we see who it is. Kellyn looks as though he knew about this all along – and he probably did.

"Hi, I'm Rhythmi, the new– Oh my Arceus!" she gasps when she sees us and points to the three of us. "Kate, Kellyn, and Keith?! What are you three doing here?!"

"This is getting repetitive…" I mutter, but I'm still happy and surprised to see my closest friends all in one place.

Chairperson Erma chuckles lightly, "This is far from a coincidence! Ms. April informed us of you four and the pledge that you took at the Pledge Stone. It's those dreams of yours that brought you all together again."

"Oh, and one last thing that I want to inform you of: Top Rangers are responsible for their _own_ actions." I swear I see her cast an accusing glance at Lunick. "They are able to assign missions to themselves and are expected to use their past experiences to make their judgments, however, do not hesitate to ask the senior Top Rangers for help."

Chairperson Erma calls Lunick and Solana over to have a discussion while the others go back to work, leaving the rest of us to converse.

"I'm so happy to see you guys!" Rhythmi chirps, gathering all of us for a group hug. "How have you three been?"

"Just beat the crap of a few Team Dim Sun bad guys before I got here!" Keith says with a grin.

"Nothing much," Kellyn replies nonchalantly.

I shrug. "Just woke up from a near-death experience."

Both Kellyn and I watched in amusement as they were left astounded by what I just said. With these guys around, it'll be just like we're back in school again.

* * *

**Review/feedback/cristicisms/complaining how slow I am at updating, whatever comes first to your mind. :p**

**Until next time,**

**~Lily**


	22. Chapter 22 - Chroma Highlands

Chapter 22 - Chroma Highlands

**Reviews:**

_**Alfa19 - I will... After my exams '^' study time!**_

_**starchasersemerald - Thank you and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!**_

**_caird56 - I'll try to add a bit of rangershipping when I get the chance in the future chapters._**

**_Cynderheart456 - Glad to hear that you like the last chapter, and I'll try to update faster... just not this or next week. I got my mid - term to study for :/_**

**_RosesOfTruth - Yep, they're all back in one place!_**

**_**_Dhiren Pooran -Grammar... it's always my worst enemy. And thanks, I do hope that I get accepted into the college I want XD_**_**

**_**Nighttyger - I imagined Sven having an Australian accent, probably because of how he is dressed.**_**

****Thanks for reviewing! Now onto the chapter!****

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

When I step into the Operation Room today, people are already up and about with a serious look on their faces. I see Kellyn looking over the huge screen at the control panel, seemingly deep in thought.

I walk up to him to ask if something is wrong.

"Sven was sent on a investigation mission in the Chroma Highlands," he explains. "But that was a few days ago, and there haven't been any reports from him, nor could we contact him through the Fine Styler."

"Maybe there is no signal up there," I suggest, and then look up at the abnormal readings on the screen. But when I blink, it disappears... was that just my imagination?

"That might be it, but we're not sure," Kellyn replies.

"You always have to expect the worst possibilities," says Chairperson Erma, who is walking over to us. "That way, you're better prepared."

"Chairperson Erma!" Linda exclaims from her spot, placing a hand on her headset. "We finally got a transmission from Sven!"

"Put him on speakers," the elderly woman commanded. As if on cue, Keith comes in right when Sven starts speaking on the other line, though I can hear the static going through as well.

"Sven reportin' in, I have somethin' to relay to Chairperson Erma."

"You're on live," Linda informs him.

"Alright, the Highlands is -static- in unnatural smoke," explains Sven. "It's dangerous -static- in too much of it -static- couldn't get a good signal -static- Chroma Ruins -static-"

We can't understand much of what Sven is saying, since the static is getting worse and worse. But we do hear a huge explosion that sends my ears ringing, even across the call.

"Blimey, there's more -static- coming!" Everything after that statement is nothing more than static.

"Looks like the transmission was cut off by something," Linda says, typing furiously on the controls.

"We have abnormal readings from the Chroma Highlands!" Rhythmi reports in, typing away at the keyboards as well. The screen switches pictures, bringing up the abnormal readings... the same exact ones that I saw earlier. Did I experience deja vu just now?

"Kate?"

"Whuh?" I snap out of my reverie when my name is called. "What's happening?"

"You were spacing out," Kellyn points out. "Is there something wrong?"

I shake my head and wave it off. "It's nothing." It's probably just my eyes messing with my mind, so I just push the thought to the back of my mind.

"Alrighty then," Keith cheers for some reason. "Let's get going!"

"Wha- hey, let go of me!" Keith proceeds to drag me away, with Kellyn coming along as well. "Where are we going?"

"You need to start paying attention," Kellyn states. "Chairperson Erma just gave us a mission to go investigate the Chroma Highlands and help Sven. Or, more like I have babysit you two in case you guys mess up on your first mission as Top Rangers."

I cross my arms and roll my eyes. "Thanks for having faith in us."

"No problem," Kellyn replies, deciding to go along with my sarcasm. "Now let's catch up to Keith, or we'll lose him."

"Huh?" I look ahead to see Keith already a speck in the distance. "That redhead didn't even wait for us!"

"Race you," Kellyn says before speeding off after Keith and leaving me in the dust. I complain a bit before chasing after him in annoyance.

"No head start, cheaters!"

* * *

We arrive at the Highlands with the help of three Doduo that we captured on the way. However, when we do, I quickly cover the lower part of my face with the collar of my shirt; the other two probably did the same. Sven was right, this much smoke in one place is not natural, not at all.

I release the Doduo and look around.

"Hey gu-" When I turn around, I didn't see Kellyn or Keith anywhere close to me. I was sure that we arrived together, so how could we lose each other that easily? It's probably because of the smoke – I can barely see a few meters in front of me.

"Guys?" I call out, but I don't get an answer in return. Well, isn't this a great start?

"C-Chupa!" Pachi points at something while perched on my shoulder. It's good to see her holding up against the smoke, but I wonder, for how long?

I look to where she's pointing to see a yellow mouse Pokémon limply trying to get around, but it ends up violently coughing. I race over to the Pikachu to check on him and find that he is poisoned.

...Poisoned? Could the polluted air do that if I inhale too much of it? It can't be natural... could it be the work of a Pokémon?

I try to contact someone on my Styler, but it only flashes NO SIGNAL at me. "Tch."

I look down at the Pikachu, who is having trouble breathing. I have to take him to a place clear of this smoke, but where? I can barely see where I'm going – how cam I find a way out of this area?

I take off my jacket to cover Pikachu's nose and mouth, hoping to dilute the pollution in the air. I try not to inhale while doing so, but it proves difficult when I'm running out of oxygen in my lungs.

I cradle the yellow mouse in one arm while covering the lower part of my face with my free hand. I glance at Pachi, "Don't breathe in too much of the air, okay?"

Pachi nods and does the same thing that I did just now. I search around for an exit of some sort, but to no avail. I can't see where I'm going, so I only wander deeper and deeper into the Highlands without finding a way out. It's like a maze, with the smoke as the walls.

Untouchable and poisonous walls.

I bump into something... bumpy and fall down, causing my hand to detach from my face. I feel my lungs being tainted with the poison as I accidentally inhale and cough out. I feel like the surrounding air is choking me.

I grimace and look up to what I knocked into, only to find a Weezing levitating in front of me, puffing out... black... smoke.

...Oh. It's Smog. That just makes things even more complicated. There has to be more than one of these Pokémon if the Smog is so thick and widespread. Nearby, I can detect a faint, ominous beeping, like that of a Gigaremo. I can only deduct that the Weezing is being controlled.

The Weezing looks down at me before firing one of his Sludge Bombs. I roll out of the way, losing Pachi and the Pikachu in the process, though I do hear Pachi calling out to me.

I steady my gaze at the poison-type Pokémon and ready my Styler. Weezing tries to attack again, but I perform an aerial flip, pushing my hands against the Pokémon's head and landing right behind him.

Launching the disc at Weezing, I put my index and middle finger together to guide the path of the disc. I don't know how long I can hold my breath, especially with that trick I just did, so I have to do this quick.

My hand makes intricate movements, causing the disc to circle faster and faster until a solid loop appears. But before I can make a final attempt to capture the Weezing, I detect something coming my way. Quickly arching my back, I avoid being knocked over by a Koffing's Tackle.

Now I have two Pokémon to focus on, not to mention that I'm suffocating myself for the lack of oxygen – fantastic. I make another attempt to capture the Weezing, but something knocks me over, causing me to yelp and more poison to enter my lungs.

I don't feel anything below my feet as I stumble to the side, which causes me to look down. I see nothing but endless black smoke. Time seems to slow down as fear overtakes my senses. As I fall, I close my eyes, wishing I could just wake up.

My body hits solid ground and continues to roll down a steep hill, scraping my skin and giving me cuts all over my body. I am only stopped when my body hits against something hard.

I accidentally bite down on the bottom of my lip, and blood seeps out of the corner of my mouth. I gasp for air, only for my lungs to be filled with more polluted air. I groan and try picking myself up. Every part of my body aches, and I probably have a few broken bones from the fall, but I still manage to heave myself up.

My vision gets blurry, and my breaths come out short. I hold onto my stomach and hold the wall next to me for support, limping down the path in front of me.

My vision suddenly seems to blur, and I think my eyes and ears are deceiving me. I see a collapsing cave filled with purple minerals. I hear screams, both familiar and unfamiliar.

That's when everything fades into black and my legs lock up on me, causing me to hit solid, cold ground. I don't understand what is happening, but a voice echoes in my mind, followed by the silhouette of a petite green figure with tiny wings.

"Bi bi!" It's the same one from my dream before, but I can't make out who it belongs to. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't figure it out.

* * *

The brunette's body is outlined in a forest green light. All of her wounds close in on themselves, returning her to her uninjured state and her breathing relaxes and steady itself. It's as if the flow of time reversed itself within her body.

* * *

Kellyn

"Demist!" I command the Skarmory that I just captured. The Pokémon soars into the sky and beat his wings several times, sending out powerful gusts of wind and clearing the Highlands of the smog.

"Finished!" Keith says. I look to see him clapping invisible dust off of his hands after tying up the last of the Team Dim Sun grunts that we found wandering around. How disappointing that we would find them and not Kate or Sven. Next to them is a pile of scrap – what is left of the Mini Gigaremos.

I thank and release Skarmory before joining Keith in his interrogation of the grunts.

"So guys," Keith starts, already threatening them with a menacing smile. "Have any of you seen two other Rangers?"

All of them shake their heads.

Keith starts to rap his knuckles against his palm. "Do you guys really want to lie right now? I'm running low on patience right now after you guys tried to poison us and sneak attacked us."

I sigh and shake my head. "Let me do this."

I look to my Pokémon partner and give him a nod. Within a split second, the grunts light up like fireworks, sparkling with electricity.

"Where are they," I demand with a demonic look. I decided to skip the nice part. I want to get a straight answer out of them as fast as possible.

"Dude, you're more terrorizing than me," Keith remarks, but I ignore him for the time being.

"Someone needs to speak up before my Pachirisu electrocutes all of you again."

After a moment of silence, just as I'm about to command Pachirisu to use Discharge once more, one of the grunts finally speaks up fearfully.

"T-the Ranger with the Luxray," he starts, "we captured him when he was roaming around Chroma Ruins."

Chroma Ruins... Sven did mention something about that before the transmission got cut off. Finally, we're getting somewhere with these guys. "And Kate? The second Ranger, with another Pachirisu?"

They don't give an answer. There is the possibility that Kate hasn't encountered them, but... they did try to ambush Keith and I, so it might have been the same with her.

If they were to do anything to-

"Chupa!" the yell of a Pachirisu cuts my thoughts short, and I look at my Pokémon Partner to see him looking slightly confused. There's another call, but it wasn't from Pachirisu – his mouth didn't move an inch.

"Uh, Kellyn," Keith taps on my shoulder, telling me to turn around, "you might want to see this."

I look over my shoulder just in time to see sparks of electricity shooting up into the sky nearby.

"You think it might be Pachi's?"

"..." I place a hand on my chin. "It just might."

We call in someone to take the grunts away before heading to the source of the lightning. We see a Pachirisu up ahead, trying to protect a bundle of clothes from a group of Carnivine.

Hold on... isn't that part of the Ranger Uniform?

"Pachirisu, use Thunder Wave to paralyze the Carnivine!"

"Buizel, surround them with Bubble!"

Both of our Pokémon use their respective moves, followed by the launching of Capture Discs by both Keith and I. We quickly capture the Carnivine, stopping them from injuring the terrorized Pachi.

"Chupa..." Pachi sighs a breath of relief before moving over to the jacket to uncover a Pikachu. She points to the the yellow mouse, trying to tell us something. I approach the Pikachu and examine him, only to find that he's poisoned and getting a fever.

"We need to treat this Pikachu before his fever gets worse," I say aloud.

"How?" Keith asks. I think for a moment, trying to think of the best way for this approach. Neither of us have any more Antidotes or Pecha berries on hand. I used the last Antidote I had a while ago, and it doesn't look like the Chroma Highlands have any Pecha berries growing either.

Suddenly, I see a group of Gloom in the distance, then a few Vileplume, which gives me an idea.

"Capture one!" I send the disc to one of the Vileplume in the disc's path, guiding it with my index and middle finger. I make several rapid hand movements, making loops and slashes until a bright light encases the targeted Vileplume.

"Capture complete," I say, the disc returning to my hand. "Vileplume, use Aromatherapy on Pikachu."

"Plume!" A sweet and calming scent surrounds the area, helping the yellow mouse regain a steady breathing rate.

"Pi...?" The Pikachu slowly opens his eyes and sits up, looking rather confused. I thank Vileplume and release the Pokémon before picking up the jacket that served as a blanket for the yellow mouse Pokémon.

I interrupt Pachi's explanation to the Pikachu, asking if this is Kate's, to which she nods.

I frown, seeing that the Pokémon is present without her partner. "Where is she?"

Pachi slumps, looking at the ground in dismay before shaking her head. My brows crease at the Pachirisu's answer. Kate isn't one to leave her Pokémon behind, so that only means- "Kate's missing?"

"Chupa..." Pachi nods her head and sits down with tears welling up in her eyes.

I try to hide my worry and think of where she could have gone off to. How did she even become separated from us in the first place? I'm positive she was right beside me when we came to the Chroma Highlands.

"Hey... Kellyn..." Keith says slowly. I look up at him without saying a word and let him continue. He seems to be leaning over to check something. He then points down and looks over at me.

"You don't think she..."

I head over to where he is, and my eyes widen. What I'm seeing is a rather steep cliff; a few rocks crumble at my feet and begin their descent to the bottom, which seems to be an eternity away.

There is no way Kate would...

Worry fills my mind as I look at the jacket in my hand. "We need to go down and check."

"What?!" Keith exclaims in surprise. "How long will it take us if we go down by foot? It's going to take forever!"

"Who said that we need to go by foot?" I quip, pointing up to the sky. Keith follows my movement and sees two Staraptor circling above us. He grins, and both of us launch our discs up to capture to two flying-types.

With our Pokémon secure, Keith and I command the Staraptor to dive down the cliff. The Pokémon oblige and fall into an unmatchable diving speed. The Staraptor pull up at the last second and give us time to jump off before flying away. At the bottom, we see nothing that gives us a clue as to where Kate is.

"Kate?!" I holler, but only an echo responds back. Just where is she? I take my eyes off of her for one second, and she's already disappeared from the radar. I really hope that she hasn't doesn't anything to herself. It wasn't pretty last time.

"Kellyn, calm down," Keith advises, placing a hand on my shoulder. I raise an eyebrow at the redhead and fold my arms.

"What do you mean? I am calm."

He laughs. "It didn't look it with your face just now!"

"What?"

"I wish I had a mirror right now so that I could show you. Too bad I don't."

I furrow my brows. "Keith, we're getting off topic. We can't waste time standing around. We need to look for Kate and Sven."

"Or in your case, mostly Kate."

I give him a glare. "Not now, Keith."

"Ah, so you're not going to deny it?"

I rub my temples; Keith can be extremely annoying at times. Can't people just stay focused on the mission instead of having side talks and distractions? Another reason as to why I prefer working alone.

"Keep talking and I'll leave you behind."

"Fine, fine, Mr. Serious," Keith raises both of his hands in defeat and starts to follow after me. "But, you should probably say it before it's too late. Who knows what will happen between now and then."

I slowly turn to him, giving him a weird look. "Since when were you ever the type to give advice?"

Keith shows me one of his goofy grins. "Anything to help my best friend!"

"..." One of my eyebrows twitch. "Then you can help by dropping this topic and focusing on the search."

...

We search along the path formed by the chasm, but Kate isn't anywhere in sight. How are we supposed to find Sven if we can't even find Kate? Keith and I both tried to contact her through our Stylers, but we didn't get a signal - might be because of where we are.

"Where is she...?" I mutter to myself.

"Chupa!" Pachi suddenly perks up and takes off, leaving the rest of us utterly confused as to where she's going. We run after the Pachirisu and see a familiar spiky twin tails.

"Kate!" I call out as she hugs the Pachi and then looks up to see us quickly approaching her.

"Hey guys!" She greets. "Where have you two been?"

"...Shouldn't we be asking you that?" I query.

"Heh?" Kate tilts her head in bafflement. I frown at her response. This girl really is _that_ absentminded.

"How did you get here?" I ask. "You disappeared from us when I took my eyes off of you for a second."

"And you should've seen Kellyn, he was-" I elbow Keith in the ribs before he can continue. I don't need that right now.

"Erm..." Kate taps a finger to her chin. "I'm not really sure how I got down here, or why Pachi wasn't with me." She proceeds to look at us. "Do you guys know where my jacket went? It suddenly disappeared."

I eye the girl suspiciously, seeing that her clothes are somewhat ripped. How could she not remember how she got here? Was she sleep-walking the whole time? Is it short term memory loss?

"...Here." I hand her the jacket, which Kate takes gratefully.

"Okay, Kate found," Keith concludes. "Now to find Sven, but how are we going to get into the Chroma Ruins?"

"How about that cave entrance over there?" Kate suggests.

...What?

We take a glance to where Kate is jabbing her thumb at to see that there's actually a cave entrance... how convenient.

"This just made things a whole lot easier!" Keith pipes, leading the way; I go to follow right after him, but notice that Kate is hesitating.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Um..." Kate looks at me rather uncertainly before averting her gaze to the cave entrance behind me, as if scared to go in.

"Don't worry, if it's about the bat Pokémon, you'll be find as long as you have your Pachirisu and us," I assure her. "Despite his constant talking, Keith's a decent Ranger."

She seems to have tightened her hold on Pachi, and I detect fear crossing her eyes. "...I - just be careful... okay?"

I raise a brow at her queer behavior. "Shouldn't you need to be more careful? We can't find each other easily if we get separated in the Chroma Ruins." We were hardly able to find each other out here.

Kate laughs nervously. "Yeah... You're right, I'll be more careful. Anyways, let's catch up to Keith before we lose him." With that, she walks past me, leaving me to mull over what exactly is on her mind that's bothering her so.

* * *

**Hope you liked the chapter or tell me what you don't like about it. I'll try to make it better next time... other than grammar. I will eternally work on that.**

**Until then,**

**~Lily**


	23. Chapter 23 - Cave In

Chapter 23

**Reviews:**

_**ChelseaJackson - Exámenes ... me sentí mucho más aliviado después de tomarlas ! Y muchas gracias por tus reivews ! En cuanto a la cuestión , podría poner Keith y rítmicamente juntos pero un poco como rítmicamente e Issac también ... bueno, esa decisión será hecha más tarde!**_

_**caird56 - Maybe Keith will. Only time will tell when the tow needs a little push or when Keith's going to explode from being impatient.**_

_**The Lady of Dragons - Glad to have your support! It's completely fine if your review is just a single comment, I don't mind.**_

_**RosesOfTruth - Watch as she gets stranger (In my opinion)**_

**Thanks for reviewing! Now onto the long awaited chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

Kellyn's POV

As we maneuver our way through the strenuous maze of Chroma Ruins, psychic-type Pokémon keep on appearing out of nowhere using Teleport, though I'm sure that they're just distraught at the sudden increase in human activities in their habitat.

I stop abruptly upon coming to a dead end, but I feel a push behind me and I stumble forward in slight surprise.

"Ow," I hear Keith whine. "Warn us the next time you decide to stop for no reason!"

I roll my eyes at his remark. Although I want to rebuke him, I know that he is right since I did stop without saying anything and they were close behind me.

"It's a dead end." I merely jab a thumb at the solid wall, which contains small fragments of amethyst crystals that accent the dull color of the Ruins.

Keith's mouth forms a small 'o'.

"Then should we retrace back?"

"No..." I start slowly. "We've been down the other paths already, and they all lead to a dead end.'

I ponder for a moment at what to do before I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn to my right to find Kate looking at me and pointing upwards. I follow her hand to see a hole, barely visible due to the lack of light, in the ceiling.

"Good perception," I compliment, then place a hand on my chin. "But how will we get up?"

All of us look around for anything that could be of use, but find nothing more than rocks.

"How about we just use each other as a ladder?" Keith suggests, "and pull the others up after getting through?"

"It isn't that high," I muse before concurring with the suggestions. We stack each other on our shoulders, with Kate being the first person to crawl up to the next level since she's the shortest, followed by Keith and then me. As we explore the new floor, though, I can't help but notice the wary glances that Kate is casting at the walls, which have started to have more crystals growing out of them. Something's been bothering her, ever since we entered the Ruins, but she never stated the reason. She's also being too quiet.

I can't help but feel the need to be more on-guard, as if something worse than the psychic- and ghost-types lurking around will jump out at us at every corner we round.

"Stop."

The sudden commanding tone freezes Keith and me in our tracks as we turn to face Kate with looks of utter confusion. It is strange for her to speak suddenly. I would have mistaken it for her trying to lift the silence, if not for her choice of words and authoritative tone.

"Something wrong, Kate?" Keith queries, echoing the question on my mind. She looks a bit paler than usual and her eyes seem to be holding... fear?

Kate shakes her head and laughs nervously. "S-sorry... but can we take another route?"

Both Keith and I cast a questioning glance at her odd request. "This is the only path so far," I point out, pointing out that what she just said makes no sense. Kate only shakes her head again and taps a foot on the surface she is standing on.

"There's another right here," she replies. What confuses me even more is that I think I heard her mutter something along the lines of 'safer too.'

"Kate," Keith starts, looking at her as if she grew two heads, "do you need glasses or something? You're standing on solid ground, not a door."

She only casts a knowing look at Keith and send her Capture Disc behind us. I watch as she captures a Sandshrew that was strolling pass, having not noticed us nearby. Its gaze turns confused as the disc appears out of nowhere and circles around him.

Once she successfully captures the ground-type, she commands him to dig a hole at her feet. I watch quizzically as a hole is quickly formed and the surrounding soil collapses into it. The hole is only wide enough to fit one person at a time.

Kate gestures for Keith to take a peep, and he does so without hesitating. He's always been the curious one out of the group.

"Whoa!" he exclaims in slight disbelief and amazement before taking his head out and looking at Kate. "How did you know that there's another path below us?"

"Err..." Kate hesitates, and I can see her fidget while trying to find an answer. "...In...tuitions?"

I narrow my eyes at her as she just shrugs it off. That hint of uncertainty and the tentative answer is enough to tell me that there's more to it than just her 'intuitions.'

"Well, c'mon!" Kate urges as I notice her stealing a glance at my skeptical gaze. "Let's take that one!"

Before either one of us can say anything, Kate starts to shove us towards the hole. It feels as if she is in a rush for some odd reason, but maybe that's because she wants to get this mission done as fast as possible.

That was my assumption, but then I hear shouts coming down the pathway that we were taking. However, I'm already partway through the hole, and Kate's already pushing me down to the lower floor.

"Stop right there, intruders!" comes a demand from above which causes me to tense up in anticipation.

Keith and I exchange looks. "Kate, what's going on up there?"

"N-nothing!" Her response seems a little too quick, and there is a hint of panic in her words.

"We're going back up there," I state, but I stop when I hear another shout.

"What's a Ranger doing here?!"

"Pachi, use Discharge!" With the sound of static electricity being released and the agonized screams, I can only conclude that we ran into some of Team Dim Sun's grunts. But now that I think more about it, Kate wanted to take this route, deeming it 'safer', and those Grunts showed up on the path that we were just on... Does she know their location? And why does it seem like she's trying to avoid them? Isn't our mission to confront them and locate Sven?

"Guys," Kate's voice sounds from above, "I'll meet up with you two later, okay?"

"What?!" Keith and I exclaim in astonishment.

"Keep looking for Sven before something happens," she urges. Her words are followed by the yells of several grunts. "I'll deal with these guys right here!"

"But-"

"Sandshrew, cover this hole with Rock Tomb!"

"Wait!" I try to reach up, but a large boulder comes crashing down from the ceiling of the floor above and completely seals it off. How either ceiling is still holding up is beyond my comprehension, but that's not important right now.

"What is she thinking?"

I feel a pat on my shoulder and turn to see Keith looking serious for once. "Kate can handle them, so don't worry about it. We should focus on looking for Sven right now, while Kate keeps those Team Dim Sum grunts busy."

I grunt in compliance, but I don't like this idea. I just hope to finish this as fast as possible.

* * *

Kate's POV

I focus on the task at hand as I command Sandshrew and Pachi to fight back against the Pokémon that the Team Dim Sun grunts have under their control all, trying to capture every single one of them in order to make the Pokémon come to their senses.

I kind of expected this when the path began to look a little too familiar, though I didn't want to tell the others since I couldn't believe it myself until now. Of all the dreams that I have had up until now, of course this has to be the one that is coming true – though it's more like a living nightmare.

"Alright," I say as I pin the final grunt against the ground. "Tell me what Team Dim Sun's exact reasons are for being here?"

"Like I'll answer to a petty Ranger like you!" he spits out venomously. Bad decision. It only causes him more pain as I twist his arm in a way that it shouldn't go. I need more information before I can confirm my suspicions, and this guy isn't cooperating with me!

"Answer if you want to be able to use your arms ever again," I threaten in a saccharine tone while a nagging feeling keeps on urging me to hurry, saying that I'm short on time.

When he refuses to answer again, I grow agitated. I twist both of his arms even more until I think I hear a soft crack. The grunt howls in pain and finally gives in.

"W-we're here to extract the large Dark Crystal that lies within Chroma Ruins," he explains. "As well as taking as many of the smaller fragments as we can as well!"

I raise a brow. "Dark Crystal? You mean the ones that you use in your Gigaremos?"

"Y-yes..." He answers feebly. "We plan on using explosives on the giant Dark Crystal since it wouldn't budge from the wall."

"What?!" I growl in anger, elbowing him in the ribs. "Do you not realize that it would cause a cave-in in the Ruins?!"

"Heh," The Grunt manages to smirk, even through the torture I'm inflicting on him. "We were planning that from the start to erase any trace that we ever came here, and you Rangers are all the more reason for us to do so. First that one with the cowboy hat, and now three more. We'll take you all down in one swell swoop with this!"

His gloating only my heart to pang. My eyes widen as I realize what is going to happen, and I quickly knock the grunt out before racing down the path the grunts came from, knowing there will be more as I race deeper in.

All that is on my mind right now is to stop it from happening.

The helpless screams and the rumbling of the walls caving in on themselves fill my head again. The voices are more distinct this time – it's as if they are calling... my name? It only makes me all the more uncertain and apprehensive of what will happen.

I know that the path that Kellyn and Keith are taking will lead them to a safer area, but I doubt they will make it out before the whole cave comes tumbling down on all of us. It seems as though I know the Ruins like the back on my hand – the information just comes into my mind like something being downloaded into a computer disc. It's strange, and infinitely puzzling.

I capture a Kirlia on my way, then quickly make my way forward, turn after turn, until I spot an area of the Ruins that's brighter than the others, seemingly sparkling with purple crystals. I slow to a stop and tell the three Pokémon by my side to keep quiet as I slink closer.

We hide behind a large fragment of crystal that protrudes out of the ground and lean out from behind it. What I see makes me cover my mouth to keep in the gasp that I was about to release, along with the heavy breaths that I'm taking.

There are about ten, maybe more, grunts busying themselves with placing explosives on the walls and extracting any large fragments of crystal that they can see.

"We need to stop them," I tell the Pokémon, before commanding Sandshrew to dig under. "Pachi, get their attention."

"Chupa!" The electric-type nods, ebulliently – even knowing what this situation entails. She scurries into the view of the grunts, catching their attention with squeaks and random hopping.

I hear some of them questioning what a Pachirisu is doing here, while I see another try to make a grab for Pachi when she takes a sniff around the explosives. Pachi then shocks the grunts with blue static electricity.

Before I can give a command to Kirlia, I feel the shadow of someone looming over me. "Now what do we have here?"

I stiffen and promptly gaze up to see a Team Dim Sum member, an officer, based on the way he is dressed and remembering when Kellyn pretended to be one.

I laugh sheepishly and quickly point at the man. "Kirlia, Energy Ball!'

"Kir!"

I hear some gasps when I stand up.

"Another Pokémon Ranger!"

Well, now that my hiding spot has been discovered, might as well just face them head on. I grin at them mischievously and whistle, signaling Sandshrew to resurface.

"Sand!" The Mouse Pokémon pops out of the ground, and immediately afterwards, the surface of the floor collapses, letting the grunts fall into a hole that Sandshrew created.

We watch as the Team Dim Sun members try to climb out with no success while cursing us for our meddling. I would laugh at their expense, if not for a Shadow Ball aimed at the base of my foot. I dart out of the way and steer my attention to the attacker, only to be stunned to find a trapezoidal rock with two small dots and a crack running down the middle that splits in two near the bottom, giving it the irrefutable look of a frown.

It is in the middle of the entrance to another part of Chroma Ruins. I scrutinize the rock to judge whether what I'm seeing is actually a Pokémon. However, that unspoken question is soon answered by an ethereal composition of swirling purple fog coalescing into another face with green, crescent eyes with spiraling pupils. The eyes are connected to its jagged mouth and green orbs surround the edges of the Pokémon's spiraling face.

I frown as the Pokemon starts levitating. "Spiritomb."

From his mouth, Spiritomb readies a Dark Pulse to launch at me. I roll out of the way just in time while sending the Capture Disc towards the dark- and ghost-type Pokémon. Using my index and middle finger as the guide, I circle the disc around the Forbidden Pokémon.

He quickly moves out of my grasp as if knowing what is coming. When the Pokémon sees the grunts in the pit, he fires at them as well.

"Pachi, cancel it with Discharge!" As much as I want to see them hurt, I can't have these criminals killed, and it seems as though this Spiritomb isn't on either side. It's as if he's safeguarding this place, and is only agitated upon seeing humans, since the Forbidden Pokémon didn't attack Pachi or any other Pokémon.

"Kirlia," I call out. "I want you to Teleport as many of them out of here as possible!"

The Pokémon I captured gives me a strange look, probably wondering why I would tell her to help out the bad guys, but nods in compliance nonetheless. "But make sure they're knocked unconscious so they won't escape!"

I turn my focus back to Spiritomb and ask Pachi to paralyze him with Thunder Wave so that the capture is made easier. The Forbidden Pokémon fails to dodge the attack, giving me the chance to capture him again. I guide the disc around in faster, intricate movements before the Pokémon escape again. Just as I am about to finish, Spiritomb launches a Shadow Ball at me. I notice the attack too late to dodge and am pushed back by it, but the capture is still completed.

I hear an explosion coming from the path that I presume Spiritomb came out of. The Forbidden Pokémon seem startled and retreats back into the entrance with Pachi, Sandshrew, and I following right behind him.

The tunnel grows brighter as we enter another room and see more grunts and officers preparing to press the initiator to the explosives that I see on the wall, especially concentrated around a enormous chunk of amethyst-colored crystal.

From the corner of my eye, I see Sven tied up and gagged. His Pokémon Partner isn't in any shape to fight either. For a split moment, I can see another flashing image. But it isn't the cave... it's a house? Strange...

I clench my fists and ask Spiritomb's help in creating a distraction as I free Sven and stop them from extracting the large Dark Crystal. I dash over to my senior and quickly remove the piece of cloth from his mouth, but the first thing that he says catches me off-guard.

"Take cover!" he exclaims, thrusting his body at me as an explosive behind him goes off.

Other than a few scrapes on my arms and knees, I'm perfectly okay, though I'm not too sure about Sven, since he covered for me. I quickly get up, push him up into a sitting position, and release him from his bindings.

"Are you okay, Sven?" I ask in concern, seeing that his back has several cuts and burns.

"Y-yeah..." he replies, though it sounds rather weak. "But I can't say the same 'bout Luxray."

I see Luxray limping over to us as chaos ensues in the background. I turn back to Sven, who is now checking on his wrists.

"We need to get you out of here," I say, with slight urgency in my tone.

"Not 'til we stop them from destroying the Chroma Ruins and taking that crystal," Sven grunts, standing up. He then pats Luxray on the head. "Think you can handle another fight, buddy?"

The Gleam Eyes Pokémon nods meekly before he and Sven charge into battle.

I worry about the two's health, but I know that Team Dim Sun must be stopped before something horrible happens, like-

There is a significantly loud crumbling sound as the Dark Crystal falls to the ground. There are cheers mixed in with the screams as Spiritomb becomes enraged and starts launching random attacks all over the place.

I try to calm him down, but it's no use, my voice can't get into his thick... stone?

The Team Dim Sun members had apparently controlled some psychic-types before hand, and are now using them to teleport the crystal out. They all disappear one by one until there are only one or two left.

The officer smirks, holding up what looks to be the detonation remote. I widen my eyes, but then I hear Kirlia's telepathy telling me that there is an escape somewhere in this room.

"Kirlia," I call out and the Emotion Pokémon appears by my side. I would tell her what to do if she hadn't already read my mind. She merely nods and makes her way towards Sven, Luxray, and Sandshrew.

Pachi stays by my side, perching on my shoulder, knowing full well what this will entail. "Partners 'til the end?" My partner nods with a glint of determination in her eyes. I chuckle a little, and smile when Kirlia casts me a worried look before she teleports the others out.

The last of the Team Dim Sun members presses the button on the remote in his hand and tosses it aside with a maniacal laugh. The Hypno by his side whisks him away in the blink of an eye. I look all around as rocks spew out from the explosions, the noises ringing through my ears as if they want to impair my hearing permanently.

I can hear the pounding of my own heart, despite the external noise, but I have to stay calm; this isn't the time to panic, though my mind is screaming at me to.

With Pachi clinging onto me tightly, I dodge every rock that falls from the ceiling and try to find the exit that Kirlia showed me. However, I see the ceiling cave in all together, and my life flashes before me.

* * *

**Surprise! Sorry for another cliff hanger. I'm sure you all hate me by now for leaving so many of those. ^^'**

**Until next time,**

**~ Lily**


	24. Chapter 24 - Doubts and Dreams

Chapter 24

**Reviews:**

**_Ilypikachuu - Yeah, my writing style changed from when I first started this. After writing more stories, I tend to add more details XD And I'm glad you like it so far, however many grammar errors there are. Sorry for the cliffhangers... I just... err... have the tendency to do that when I can't find a good end to a chapter._**

**_ChelseaJackson - __No te preocupes , no puedo dejar que el protagonista principal de la historia morir ... que fácilmente xD No sería justo - para mí de todos modos . Esperamos que disfrute lo harás esta actualización ~!_**

**_Devilboy58 - Thanks! At first, I was kind of following the game story line but then I decided to go -slowly- off track._**

**_FlameUser64 - Thanks for the corrections, though I thought I searched them up for the exact spelling, my mind thinks otherwise XD I'll make sure to go back and correct them._**

**_sapphire53 - I'm glad you like it, I'll try to update faster next time._**

**_RosesOfTruth - It would hurt... if she was hit or did she? _**

**_caird56 - Lol, glad you enjoy my portrayal of Keith XD_**

**Thanks for the reviews~! It means a lot to me since I get to know people's opinions on my stories :D **

**Again, I'm sorry for the late update and for leaving last chapter at that... cliffhanger. I'll try to err... do less of those. Oh, and I started updating some of the first few chapters to mow down the grammar errors - not much changes but they're still changes. A special thanks to Nighttyger for helping me with that as a beta reader! **

**... I feel like I have something else to say but it's not coming to me but any who, onto the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Enjoy!**

* * *

Kellyn's POV

The part of the ruins that we were forced into tremble, shaking my whole body. I place a hand against the cave wall to prevent myself from falling. Keith, on the other hand, isn't as lucky.

"Ow..." he mumbles, rubbing his rear while picking himself up from the ground. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know," I reply, checking the ceiling once everything stops shaking. "An earthquake, maybe?"

"Then we better get out of here before we're buried alive," Keith comments, leading the way through the tunnel.

Even though what Keith says may be a likely possibility, there is something else that is tugging at my chest. It gives me a bad feeling about what is going on within the ruins...

"Bui bui!"

"Chupa!"

The call of our Pokémon partners snaps me out of my train of thought. We had sent them ahead to scout for possible exits, since a Pokémon's senses are sharper than a human's.

"Hey buddy, find anything?" Keith asks of his partner. The Sea Weasel Pokémon nods while Pachirisu jumps up and down, pointing us onward. We follow our Pokémon as they maneuver through the ruins, taking the right at a few forks and making a left in a three-way tunnel.

In no time, we come face-to-face with a wall that doesn't reach all the way up to the ceiling. There is a light source on the other side, meaning that there must be an exit over there.

"Well," Keith starts, patting the rough edges of the wall. "It looks like we can climb up from here."

I nod in agreement. Buizel and Pachirisu climb onto our shoulders as we ascend the wall, finding places where the rock juts out to grab or step onto until we reach the top. Once we get up, I realize that it isn't a wall at all – rather, it's another path cut short, as if by a knife.

I look back down to the path that we came from, realizing that if it was lifted up to the same height as the one I'm on, then they would fit perfectly. Were they cut off by something? Is it natural? Or is it the work of a Fissure?

"Uh... Kellyn," Keith calls from a few meters ahead of me. "You should come look at this."

"What?" I pry my eyes away from the cut-off path and face the opening that leads outside. Keith is standing right in front of it, supporting himself with one hand against the side of the exit.

"Just come over here," he says.

I sigh and make my way to him, wondering what he wants. However, when I finally have the same view that he has, I don't know what to say.

This is the end of the ruins, seeing as I can see the sky outside and grass invading the semi-rocky terrain. But what caught both of our eyes is a pile of Team Dim Sun members some distance away from us. They look to have been knocked unconscious, so I don't have to be cautious, but then again, they might be faking it.

"Do you think they just decided to take a nap here?" Keith quips.

I roll my eyes. "You really think they want to sleep in uncomfortable spots like that?" I point to a pile where there are three people stacked on top of each other and others in extremely awkward positions. I think I one of their arms twisted in a direction that it isn't supposed to be.

"Can't you take a joke, Kel?" Keith queries, using the nickname that I haven't heard in a long time. My eyebrow twitches, finding distaste in the name. He should know by now that I don't like it when people call me that.

Before I could retort back, something comes out of nowhere.

"Holy smokes!" exclaims someone that I recognize immediately.

"Sven!" Keith and I chorus in surprise. He, his Luxray, and a Sandshrew come out of nowhere, as if just materializing in thin air.

"What kind of magic trick did you use, Sven?" Keith asks out of the blue.

"Wha-"

"Kirlia!" chimes the psychic-type that I have only just now taken notice of, which allows me to connect the dots. It was Kirlia using Teleport that got them here, but how and why?

The ground beneath us shakes again, but this time, on a larger scale. The unsettling feeling in my chest resurfaces again, making my stomach churn in anxiety. Then it's empty, something inside of me feels empty... Something is definitely not right.

The Kirlia looks frantic and worried about something while the Sandshrew digs back into the ground with a fervor that indicates he isn't coming back up anytime soon. I look away from the Emotion Pokémon and to Sven and Luxray, who are having the same reaction as Kirlia.

Once the rumbling passes, Sven is the first to speak. "Kirlia, where's Kate?!"

That one sentence makes my blood run cold.

The two horns on Kirlia's head light up brightly before dulling back to the same color, a dismayed look on her face. "Kir... Kirlia."

"Damn it..." Sven curses grimly, kneeling down and punching the ground in frustration.

"Sven, " I start in a testing tone. "What happened?"

"...Kate had Kirlia here use Teleport to get us out of Chroma Ruins just before one of those Dim Sun grunts set off the explosives that they put within the cave," Sven explains after a moment of silence. "But she and her Pachirisu didn't come with us..."

"WHAT?!" Keith and I exclaim in disbelief. My eyes widen in panic as I look back to the cave entrance. Don't tell me she's still in there!

"We need to look for her," I say quickly, the urgency in my voice extremely apparent even to myself.

"Right behind ya!" Keith says as we both try to reenter the Chroma Ruins.

I feel a hand grab ahold of my shoulder, immobilizing me. I look over my shoulder to see Sven holding me back.

"We can't go back in there yet! It's too dangerous; the Ruins may be unstable right now after that quake," he says sternly.

I try to wrench myself from his grip, but it's firm, almost painful. "But we can't just leave her in there! She might be..." I don't want to expect the worst like I always have, not in this situation.

"I know how you feel, but I can't risk both of you being in danger!" Sven counters.

"But Kate's one of us!" Keith argues, being held back by Sven as well. "You can't expect us to sit still while one of our closest friends could be trapped in there! She could be-"

"But you can't go in there and expect to find Kate so easily!" Sven interrupts, losing his cool and raising his volume above our protests. "You don't think I'm panicking as well? She saved me and Luxray from being in there when the cave-in happened!"

I try to argue back, but Sven doesn't give me the opportunity.

"Enough!" he says in frustration, pulling us down onto the ground with a thud. "Luxray, watch over them while I make a call to the Ranger HQ and request a search party."

"Lux." The Gleam Eye Pokémon nods and towers over our knocked over selves, daring us to make a move.

"Tch..." I look over to where the cave is, several thoughts striking my mind simultaneously.

Kate...

I feel a presence right next to me, and I steer my head to my right to find Kirlia looking at both of us. Being a Pokémon that can sense emotions, she must have picked up on ours.

"Hey Kirlia," I say, getting the Pokémon's attention. "They say that you can see the future... Can you see Kate's?"

She closes her eyes, and her horns glow in a mysterious aura once more. She then bites the bottom of her lips and sighs, shaking her head in dismay.

I can feel a pang in my heart when Kirlia replies. I furrow my brows in worry and look sullenly back at the cave entrance. Kate... Why do you always have to put yourself in danger like this? You always make me worry about your every action.

You better not be dead when we find you. Not when I...

"Alright," Sven finally says, closing his Fine Styler. "The search and rescue team is going to be here in half an hour, so for now we have to-"

"...What's going on here?!" comes a new, yet familiar voice. We look around, finally noticing the house that is stationed a little ways off. Someone in a dark uniform with spiky green hair comes out of the run-down house, and I squint to see who it is.

"Hey..." Keith starts slowly. "Aren't you Ponte, from Ranger School?"

I scrutinize the person more closely to find that Keith is right. Ponte looks at us blankly before his face dawns in realization. "Keith? Kellyn? Is that you?"

Of course!" Keith replies, jumping up from his sitting position. "Long time no see!"

"I'll say!"

I frown, taking notice of what Ponte is wearing. 'Isn't that..." I gesture to the passed out Team Dim Sun members. "Their uniform? Why are you wearing that?"

Ponte laughs nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. 'About that... you see, I joined Team Dim Sun a while ago..."

Hearing that puts us on our guard, with Ponte receiving looks of disapproval and distaste.

"W-wait!" he waves his hands back and forth in panic. "Let me finish! I didn't know what I was doing back then, so I just thought that it wouldn't hurt. But I quit after one day because I didn't like what they were doing. So now, I spend my days here in this shack trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life."

Ponte jabs a thumb towards the run-down building, and I wonder how the place is even livable.

"Are you telling the truth?" I ask distrustfully.

Ponte sighs, but nod nonetheless. "I am, it's actually not bad. It's stored with canned food, so I never go hungry, and I found this really old diary in there, but the print was so bad that I couldn't even read it. And it was the only book in there!"

"Diary?" Sven's interest perks up, and he approaches the shack for closer inspection. His eyes widen when he reads something printed on the front of the ancient shack. "Blimey! This... This is the place where Altru Inc. started!"

"Are you serious?" Keith queries incredulously, looking at the old shack. "You mean _this_, and _that_ Altru Inc. is one and the _same_?"

"Truth be told, it is," Ponte confirms. "This was their old oil field before they hit it big."

Sven quickly enters the shack, the other three of us exchanging looks with each other.

"So..." Keith starts, breaking the silence. "What are you going to do, Ponte? I thought you figured that out before we graduated from Ranger School."

Ponte sighs. "I thought so too, but then, I'm not so sure anymore. I wanted to be a Mechanic at first but then... I just don't know anymore. And I've been thinking about this this whole time I've been here."

"At least you're out of Team Dim Sun, right?" Keith says, looking on the bright side of things as always. "I still don't know why you would want to join them in the first place. They abuse Pokémon for Arceus's sake!"

"I know," Ponte replies, sounding stressed. "I don't even remember the reason why I joined them anymore. But whatever it was, it must've been a pretty stupid reason."

"If you want, you can come to the Ranger Union and start from there," I suggest. "It's better than living in this shack."

"You think I can?" he asks, his eyes full of hope.

"Of course you can!" Keith pats him on the back, though I think he used a little too much force, since Ponte ends up falling to the ground. "...Oops. Sorry."

Sven comes out seconds after Ponte accepts Keith's apology, holding a worn out, leather-bound book in his hands. "...Looks like I'll be bringin' this back to Ranger HQ to have it analyzed. I can only make out the words black and dream." He then looks at the still-unconscious Grunts. "And we'll need to tie them up so that they won't be goin' anywhere but to jail."

I look around and realize that the Kirlia has disappeared; it must have teleported away. It is a wild Pokémon, after all.

"Are they here yet?" I ask impatiently, which is uncharacteristic of me.

"The team should be here in any minute now," Sven replies, checking the time on his Fine Styler. "Maybe just a few minutes tops."

"Hey guys!" comes a voice above us. All of us tilt our head upward to see several Staraptor circling the sky. I see Wendy riding on her Predator Pokémon among them.

I can only assume that they are our search and rescue team. I feel a pat on my shoulder, and I look over to see Keith giving me an assuring smile.

"We're going to find her, I just know it!"

Something is tugging at my mind, a doubt resting in its darkest part. I want to have hope that we'll find and rescue Kate, but... there's something that is casting a shadow of doubt over that. That emptiness again...

* * *

Kate's POV

"Ch... Chu... Pa!" I feel myself being shaken awake, though I don't want to get up. My entire body feels numb and my head hurts, as if I was hit by a giant rock.

"Chu... PAAA!" The voice raises, screaming at me, which is followed by the electrocution of my entire body. I screech in pain and shock, bolting up quickly to face an angry, yet worried Pachi.

She jumps onto me and I hastily catch her in my arms. I look around in confusion, feeling the pain already disappearing from my nerves as if it was never there in the first place.

"W-where are we?" I ask aloud, uncertain about what's going on. I'm in a forest, seemingly the same one that I had dreamed of before. Does this mean I'm dreaming?

I try to think of what I was doing before I entered this dream, but nothing comes to mind. My memory is a blank slate at the moment, and trying to remember what I was doing is causing me another headache.

And is it just me, or is it getting hotter all of a sudden?

I hear the snap of a branch and quickly stand up, putting up my guard. I stare at the large bushes in front of me, waiting to see if whatever comes out is dangerous or not.

Two small hands come out, parting the bushes to reveal an exhausted-looking girl. Her face is somewhat scratched, and she looks to be in a panicked state of hurry. She looks around, as if she can't see me right in front of her.

'Where is it?" the little girl mutters, coming out of the bushes completely. Her brown hair is short, never reaching past her shoulder blades. Her parted, flat bangs and blue eyes remind me of something.

"Where are you?" the little girl asks out loud, snapping me out of my stupor. The urgency in her voice tells me that she is looking for someone very important. I'm about to go ask her who she is looking for when she runs straight towards me.

As she comes closer, she doesn't look like she's going to be stopping anytime soon. And then the unexpected and scary happens.

The little girl runs straight through me, as if I'm a ghost. I freeze right there and then, my blood running cold as I examine my own body in shock. I pat around my chest and hips, and everything seems solid to me. But... to that girl...

I make a 180 turn, only to find that the little girl has disappeared.

I look at Pachi on my shoulder, who is pale with shock, meaning that I definitely wasn't seeing things.

Wait. Wait, wait. If that girl ran straight through me... doesn't that mean-

"AM I DEAD?!" I exclaim, feeling as if I'm about to hyperventilate while whacking my head, trying desperately to figure out what has happened. And it apparently works, the memories of the cave collapsing coming back to me.

"..."

Ooh.

Ooooh.

Oh. Right... The last thing I saw was the rocks falling dangerously close to me, leaving me with no space to dodge. But what happened next is just a blur.

"Pachi..." I say grimly. "You think... we're in the afterlife?"

The EleSquirrel Pokémon's ears flop down. She seems disconcerted by the thought.

"Nope, don't worry. This is merely a memory."

"Ah, so it's only a memory, huh?" I say in relief.

"Yep."

"Thank Arce- wait..." I stop, blinking several times. Where did that voice come from? Pachi and I look around, but I can't find the owner anywhere. Is it a ghost?

"Silly, I'm up here," the voice giggles. I let my eyes trail up to a tree branch and gape as I see the same girl from before wearing a white dress, her hair tied up in two... spiky pig... tails...

She looks like a younger version of me.

"W-who are you?"

The girl ignores my question and looks to her left, in the direction that she disappeared in earlier and looks back at me with a unfathomable smile. "Careful now, the fire is going to start."

"Huh?" I ask in confusion, but then the air starts to heat up even more than it had already. I look all around again to see fire spreading to where I am. The fire grows bigger and bigger, consuming everything in its path, and before I know it, I'm surrounded.

A sudden fear travels down my spine. Just seeing this kind of fire scares me, but I don't know why. I've dealt with fire before but... now, my body is freezing up.

The image of the little girl with her hair down crosses my mind. I look back to find her surrounded by the fire, holding something in her arms. The fire consumes the girl while she cries out for help. It feels familiar... too familiar for my taste.

"No... nonono..." I mutter absentmindedly, taking a step back.

A wave of dizziness hits me and my mind goes into overdrive. Everything starts to swirl and fly by in mere seconds until all there is is white. White is then tainted with spreading black, and that's the last thing I remember before I go unconscious.

...

"Hey, wake up you two."

I groan and pry open my eyes, staring groggily at the mini-me who is leaning over, looking down at me. I'm beginning to dislike this sudden unconsciousness; it's making me nauseous.

"Chupa..." Pachi yawns next to me.

I sit up and look at my surroundings again. Everything is light green and moving like the wind, but I don't feel the slightest breeze hitting me at all. "Where am I? And more importantly..." I look back at the girl. "Who are you?"

She merely tilts her head and smiles slightly. "We're in the subconscious part of your mind, and like I said before, this is a memory, so I'm your younger self."

I crease my brows in puzzlement. "But... I don't remember having a dress like that, let alone wearing it."

The mini-me sighs and turns her back to me. "You'll understand once I begin unlocking our past."

Suddenly, I sense the presence of more people appearing and I spin my head around, only to widen my eyes. They are of different ages, but there is a striking similarity between all of them that shakes me to the core. The brown hair and blue eyes.

What in the...

All of them move into a circle and the girl spins around to face me again, smiling sadly. "You're seeing _your_ past selves, Katherine Hitomi."


	25. Chapter 25 - Almia's Tale

Chapter 25

**GUUUYYYSSS! It's been SO long since I updated but I'm alive! Though... I been semi-dead throughout last and this month just because of life. Yuck.**

**Oh, and I also just dropped a bomb with this chapter so enjoy reading this LONG chapter and getting completely mind-blown by it :p**

**Reviews:**

_**pokegirl2 - Thank you for the compliment! And really sorry for extremely late update T.T but if you're still waiting to read, then I hope this chapter satisfy you!**_

_**Devilboy58 - Wait no more! The new chapter is here with some answers to questions that you and all others might have! And I have read your fanfic and you already know my thoughts since I reviewed ^^ but's it's an interesting read and original too. I doubt that I can get that original with my plots.**_

_**Ilypikachuu - I'm glad to hear that you liked the last chapter! It's never too late to review anything and since it took me so long to put this chapter up, I should be the one to say sorry. But hey, better late than never right?**_

_**dbzfangirl - I'm so sorry to have you wait so long. If you're still willing to read, I hope you like this chapter!**_

_**caird56 - Lol, I love your enthusiasm and I hope to this chapter will quench your thirst - if you're still reading this that is.**_

**Thanks to those who reviewed. It's much appreciated and I'M SO VERY VERY SORRY for the... erm... two month wait...? Yikes... /shot**

**And thank you to Nighttyger for taking the time to beta-read this :)**

**Okay, I'm done, now onto the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

* * *

"K-Katherine... Hitomi?" I finally say, slowly trying to process what the little girl just told me. The look-alikes around me start to fade away one by one, leaving only the girl, Pachi, and me in this empty vast of swirling green. The name sounds familiar and the way it rolls off of my tongue seems so... natural.

The little girl nods.

Okay, I got that part, somewhat, but what confuses me is - "What do you mean, 'past selves'?"

"Just as I said," she replies with her hands clasped behind her, "we're your past."

"But some of them look older than me," I counter as I see Pachi cautiously approaching her. "And I would remember what I looked like when I was younger. I don't remember ever wearing any of those clothes that they wore just now, including yours."

The little girl sighs somewhat heavily. She seems to have an adult air around her, despite her ten-year-old appearance. "I really hate this part..." she mutters, seemingly to herself, before looking up at me."It's because they're from different eras, just as I am from centuries ago."

"...What?" She completely lost me there. If I'm right... then the girl in front of me is supposed to be hundreds of years old, but she has the appearance of a ten-year-old?

"Your assumption is correct," she replies without skipping a beat, picks up Pachi, and pets her on the head.

Wait...

"Did you just read my mind?" I ask incredulously.

She tilts her head innocently and curiously. "There isn't anything special about that. We are in your sub-consciousness after all, and I'm you, so I know what you're thinking."

This is getting weird, but I feel oddly calm. I know I should be freaking out about this like any other normal person, but I'm not. I feel like I have done this before. Several times, in fact. But how come, then, don't I remember anything related to this?

I watch as Pachi nuzzles the little girl affectionately, like she would me. It's like seeing the younger version of me, which makes it look like Pachi has been with me for years instead of barely one.

A surge of pain strikes my brain as I faintly see the image of a Pachirisu cuddling with a little girl, sleeping in a pile of hay. "...What...?"

"Looks like your memories are coming back without me giving a push," the little girl muses, placing Pachi down and strolling towards me. "Let's go."

She grabs my wrist gently and pulls me forward. A white flash blinds my sight, and I have to use my free arm to cover my eyes. "Where are we going?" I ask uncertainly as I feel something weighing down my shoulder a little, probably Pachi.

"To our beginning," she replies simply.

We walk for a while until she stops. I accidentally bump into her, since my eyes are shut tight.

"S-sorry!"

"It's okay," she replies calmly. "You can open your eyes now. The light is gone."

I comply and slowly pry open my eyes, only to see cobblestone streets and buildings of the Renaissance era. It's such a pretty sight, with a canal running along the streets and an arched bridge a few meters from us. There are trees lining the side of the canal, each surrounded by a patch of grass. There are people walking up and down the streets, wearing clothes that fit with the middle ages.

The air is familiar, almost-

"Nostalgic?" the girl finishes my thought for me.

I frown slightly and cross my arms. "Isn't there something like the privacy of the mind?" I don't really like the concept of mind reading that much, since the mind is like a sanctuary for all of our thoughts and feelings.

She looks at me blankly. "Privacy of the mind? That's a new one coming from you. Every time I have done this, you were always psyched out already."

My frown deepens. She still hasn't explained to me what's going on.

"Well, after the initial shock of knowing that I might have been dead and you running straight through me in that memory, which you claim is mine, I'm getting used to it."

The girl giggles behind her hand. "Maybe I underestimated myself, but then again, you do live the life of a Ranger in your era. I should expect no less from you."

"Erm... thanks?" I can't really tell if that was supposed to be a compliment or not, but I doubt it's an insult, because if she claims to be me, then she would be insulting herself.

I spin around, letting my eyes wander along the streets and the buildings, then to the trees and the sky, where I see flocks of Pidgey taking flight, and finally, to the castle-like structure in the distance.

"By the way... where are we?"

When I receive no answer, I look back to where the girl is, or supposed to be, but she's gone, just like the wind.

I look around frantically for any sight of her, but she is nowhere to be found. Pachi and I start to look around the ancient-looking city, through every alleyway, under every bridge, even on the roofs of the buildings, but there is still no sign of her. It feels like an eternity has passed since we started searching, and frankly, I'm about to give up.

I don't know where I am, nor do I know how to get back home, assuming I'm not dead, like that girl said.

With nothing to lose, I decide to give a shout.

"HEEEYYY!" I holler with my hands cupped around my mouth. My booming voice startles the flocks of Pidgey, along with some Starly. "WHERE ARE YOU-" I'm about to say her name, but I stop abruptly, realizing that I never got her name. But if she is supposed to be me from the past, then shouldn't her name be Kate? Or is it Katherine?

Ugh, this is so confusing!

"Where the hell did she go?!" I grab a fistful of hair in frustration while Pachi heaves a sigh from all the searching.

In the middle of my frustration, I don't watch where I'm walking and accidentally collide with a tree. I fall onto my rear with a thud and rub my aching face while Pachi scurries over to me with a look of concern.

"Great, way to make a scene of myself," I mumble in annoyance.

It is then that I realize that people are passing by me as if nothing happened at all. I push myself up and scan around. There are people walking and talking, but none of them seem to have noticed me at all. Maybe they're trying to ignore the klutzy stranger? That's probably it.

"Chupa!" Pachi snaps me out of my wondering and prods my leg. I look down to see her using her tiny paws to point in front of us. I follow the direction she is pointing and see a mass of people surrounding one area.

Letting my curiosity take over, I wander over to see what is going on. But with the throng of people blocking the view, I can't really see.

"E-excuse me!" I say and jump, but they don't seem to hear me as they continue to talk animatedly about something. They are mostly adults with a unreasonable height, so even if I jump, I can only see the tops of the sea of heads.

I inwardly curse my shortness and look around. Seeing a tree nearby, I decide to climb that to get a bird's eye view. It's better than looking from the ground anyways.

I find a sturdy branch and sit with my legs dangling freely.

"Chupa!" Pachi chirps as she clings to the top of my head and then points to the empty space within the crowd. I cover the top of my eyes with my hand since the sun is getting in my way.

What I see almost makes me slip off of the tree and hit the ground. And if I had something to drink, I would have spit it out immediately, accompanied by violent coughs and the pounding of my fist against my chest.

I just couldn't believe what my eyes are showing me. It just couldn't be possible!

Among the mass of chattering people stands two adult figures and three kids, all different ages, though the oldest one doesn't look any older than fourteen. They are wearing clothes fit for royalty, complete with the fancy carriage pulled by two Rapidash. That's not what causes me to lose my balance, though; I recognize those three kids!

I switch my gaze up to Pachi while pointing at them. "Pachi, aren't they... aren't they Keith, Lunick, and Kellyn?"

"Chupa..." Pachi replies uncertainly, tilting her head with a furrowed frown. From that, I can tell that she is as confused as I am.

Why are they here and cosplaying as princes? And why do they look so young?

I decide to jump off and ask them myself. Upon landing safely on the ground, I run towards the crowd and try to push through them. The only thing is... When I do, I go straight _through_ them, rather like what happened with the girl.

This catches me off-guard, stunning me so that I don't react in time to regain my footing and end up stumbling and falling face-forward through the crowd.

...Maybe I should have seen that coming...

"Ow..." I mumble as I hit the cobblestone ground. When I commence pushing myself up, I realize that I entered into the center, where the five people I saw are.

"King Kaden!"

"Queen Eliza!"

I hear people addressing the two adults. What is going on? Why are there so many people addressing those two adults as king and queen? The last time I checked, there are barely any monarchies left in the world!

All of these people seem to adore and respect them, including the three boys, all of whom are greeting the people too. Erm... I think I hear people calling them Hajime, Kazuki, and Dazzle... I'm just going to think of them as how I know them – Kellyn, Lunick, and Keith, respectively – or I'm just going to confuse myself and get a headache.

It's weird that I'm actually taller than the three boys in front of me. But, what makes me uncomfortable is that they seem to be ignoring me as well. No one seems to care that I came out of nowhere or that I wear different style of clothes than them.

I'm about to speak when I hear a scream.

"COME BACK HERE YOU BRAT!"

The liveliness dissipates with the sudden angry voice. All eyes are then directed towards the source, which isn't far. I start to head outside of the mass of people, much easier this time, knowing that I can just go straight through them – Odd, but I find myself accepting it rather readily. I don't get far before a familiar girl squeezes through the crowd and falls to the ground like I did earlier.

She is wearing dirty rags and broken chains around her wrists. She looks extremely pale and fragile by the way she tries to push herself up, but coughs instead before falling back down.

It takes a while, but her brown hair finally registers in my mind.

"Katherine!" I exclaim immediately. I don't know why I called her that, but it's just been stuck in my mind that her name is Katherine and... mine too.

I take a step forward, but stop when there is a man shoving away the people to get to the little girl. He doesn't seem to care about the people surrounding him – I'm not sure that he notices them – as he grabs Katherine roughly by the arm, yanking her up when she didn't look like she could stand, let alone walk. She tries to struggle out of his grip despite her weakness.

"You good-for-nothing slave girl! Who told you that you could run off?!" he exclaims loudly into the girl's poor ears, leaving me to widen my eyes in disbelief. "Your parents died without paying their debts, so you're going to work for me until you pay it off for them!"

Though her voice is mostly drowned out by the murmuring of the multitude of people surrounding us, I manage to hear her croak out, "P-please l-let go..."

"Like hell I will!" the man barks, starting to drag her back to where they came from. "Because you made me run after you, you're not going to eat for an entire week!"

Katherine tries with all her strength to escape, only to fall back onto the ground after breaking free of the man's iron grip.

"Chupa chupa!" Pachi hits me on my head to snap me out of my stupor. I look at her and then back at the girl as the man approaches her, looking ready to give her a beating in public. He needs to have a mentality check.

"H-hey! Wait!" Before I can think, my body acts on its own, and my hand reaches out to stop him, only to have it swipe through him. I freeze in my tracks as my hand stays in mid-air.

I don't know what to do to help her when I can't even make contact with a human being.

I suddenly feel a headache coming on as I faintly see fast-moving frames of a little girl in rags stained with blots of red and cuts all over, accompanied by the lashings of a whip and screams of agony.

... Is this... Katherine's memories? Or mine? Maybe it's just a trick my mind is playing on me?

My hands hold my head as I groan; I think Pachi is calling me, but I'm not sure. My body starts to become weak, causing me to plummet to my knees. Everything around me is becoming a blur, and all the voices are mixed into something incomprehensible, which is making my headache even worse.

My heart is pounding against my head now, and I feel the life being squeezed out of me as the screams continue. It feels all too real, as if all the pain inflicted on the little girl's body is being inflicted on mine as well.

"Stop!"

That one authoritative yet kind voice brings everything to a complete stand-still. My pain ceases immediately, leaving me to pant rapidly with beads of sweat trailing down my face. My vision returns to me, and I gather enough energy to tilt my head up to the source of the comforting voice.

It is then that I see a boy – brown hair and unforgiving blue eyes.

..._Kellyn_.

He stops the man before he can hit Katherine. "Let her go."

"I can do whatever I want with her," the man spits back. "Her parents left her a debt that she has to pay back, even if it costs her her life."

Kellyn remains silent, and everyone around them seems to be anticipating his next response.

"Let me say it again," Kellyn says firmly. "Let. Her. Go."

"And who are you to tell me what to do, brat?" The man eyes him with distaste as his free hand reels back, forming a fist. Before he can land a hint on Kellyn, someone else comes in to intercept.

This time, it is Lunick. He has a grin plastered to his face as his wags a finger in front of the man's face with one of his eyes closed. "You shouldn't be doing that to my little brother."

"Don't you mean our little brother?" comes Keith's voice. He is standing slightly away from them, rapping his fist against his palm menacingly. "And I don't do well with people insulting one of my family members. As Princes of Almia, we could send you to the dungeon, y'know."

...

What. The. Freaking. _HELL?!_

Since when did these three become brothers, and since when were they _PRINCES OF ALMIA?!_

Wait, this is Almia?! This place looks nothing like it!

The man looks just as shocked, maybe even more as he steps back in fear.

Kellyn joins Keith and Lunick, with the calm and serious face that he always wears. They order the guards to take the man away for questioning while the man pleads for mercy.

"I didn't ask for help," Kellyn says, which makes me roll my eyes. What a Kellyn thing to say.

I watch as Lunick places him in a headlock and nudges his head in a brotherly manner for saying something like that. "And I didn't offer to help!" Lunick counters, tightening his grip around Kellyn's neck.

"C'mon, Kel, next time you say that, Lun's going to suffocate you!" Keith snickers.

Kellyn escapes from Lunick's grip and glares at Keith with distaste. "Stop calling me that. I never asked for the nickname."

Lunick and Keith exchange looks and sigh in defeat.

"Y'know," Lunick starts, "you're only ten, so don't be so serious. You're acting way ahead of people your age."

When I hear Kellyn's age, I can practically hear a rewinding sound as my mind backs up.

Again. What. The. Hell?!

He's ten years old?! Several thoughts run through my head, most of which are questions. Just where exactly am I? What time and era am I in for there to be royalty? Why are Lunick, Keith, and Kellyn brothers? And what happened to Katherine for her to be like this the entire time I was looking for her?

"Pachi..." I groan, holding my head. "Are you getting a migraine from this too?"

Pachi tilts her head and strokes mine, as if to comfort me. I sigh and thank her for the effort, but it doesn't help untangle any of the knots that have formed in my mind.

"Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah sure," I reply absentmindedly, not even realizing that the concerned question wasn't aimed at me until I see Kellyn kneeling before Katherine, extending an arm out as if to help her up as Katherine tries to get up herself.

...Well, I'm glad no one heard that.

The little girl looks at him and then back at the ground. "Y-yes... Th-thank you, Your Highness."

"I'm pretty sure all those bruises and those chains means anything but okay," Keith quips, gesturing to the bruises all over her fragile body. Katherine shakes her head and manages dainty smile.

"I'm honored to have the Princes of Almia free me from my prison, so I should be more grateful."

"And you behave very mature for your age, too," Lunick comments, folding his arms and tilting his head towards Kellyn. "Just like this guy."

"My mother and father taught me to always respect others, especially when in the presence of nobles and royalties," Katherine replies innocently, sitting on her legs with her hands resting on her lap.

"Your parents..." Kellyn starts, but pauses, trying to form the right words before saying them. "He said they're..."

Katherine drops her head down, so I don't know what she is feeling right now, but when she speaks, it gives an aura of sadness and remorse. "Yes... They're dead, Your Highness."

By how she responded, Katherine's parents must have died years ago, and she has been coping with it since. I don't know what to think; just the thought of my family leaving me forever is unbearable. And Katherine lost hers when she was still a kid.

She's strong... There is no way I can be her.

"Stand," Kellyn commands. "We'll get those injuries of yours treated at the palace."

Lunick and Keith exchange looks before a sly grin appears on both of their faces.

"Aw, is this what they refer as love at first sight?" Lunick coos, swinging an arm over Kellyn's shoulder. "I didn't think our dear little brother would be the first to be affected by it!"

Kellyn's eye twitches, but he doesn't make any efforts to push Lunick away. "You expect us to leave her here to die? What kind of princes are we if we leave our subjects to suffer?"

"Excuses, excuses," Keith tuts, wagging his finger back and forth in front of him.

The world surrounding Pachi and I starts to spiral and fade, giving me nausea. I feel like I'm going on a roller coaster with loops of different sizes, and then come a vertical drop, followed by a sudden stop. All in all, it makes my stomach churn and my heart leap out of my chest to hide under a rock somewhere.

I pry open an eye and then another; I'm met with the dark sky and a gust of wind, making me shiver slightly. I realize that I'm holding Pachi in my arms, but I don't remember how; it must have happened during that roller coaster moment.

Pachi looks around, and so did I. It looks as though we're on a balcony, and behind me is a large glass double door with gold light streaming from inside. I turn to face out of the balcony, getting an amazing view of a large garden at night, the lake shimmering under the full moon's light.

Wait... lake? Garden? What kind of garden is big enough to have a lake? That should be a park!

I look left to right, up and down, and finally notice that I'm standing on the balcony of a castle.

"...How did we get here?" I ask Pachi, who looks just as confused. Maybe I should refrain from asking Pachi questions that she can't answer, since she's in the same situation as I am in, but I feel better when I ask someone about what is on my mind.

I hear a small creak and spin around, only to meet Katherine in a white dress. She has her hair down as well, just like when I met her- minus the bandages.

"H-hey Kat-"

"Is anyone there?" Katherine asks, looking around as if I'm not directly in front of her at all.

...That's right... Pachi and I don't exist here, so it shouldn't be weird if they completely ignore us. But it makes me feel like a ghost haunting the living.

Katherine sighs in relief and steps out onto the semicircular balcony, closing the door behind her gently. She then walks to the railing, next to where I stand, and grabs ahold of it with both of her hands.

"What should I do?" Katherine asks aloud. "They treat me as if I'm part of the family, but I only feel like a burden."

"... Heh?" I pipe out, having absolutely no idea on what she is talking about. That is, until she turns to look at me... or rather, directly straight through me, at the forest.

Looking into her ocean blue eyes, clips of what seem to be lost memories and voices flow through my mind. In one, I'm – or is it Katherine? – in a group hug with Kellyn, Lunick, and Keith, then I see another where Solana and I joke at Lunick after he stumbles into a bush.

_"Kazuki, must you make a fool of yourself in front of Lady Hinata?" I laugh as I serve tea to the blunette in front of me._

_Solana giggles at Lunick's misfortune. "As clumsy as always, I see."_

_"S-shut up!" Lunick snaps, taking the twigs out of his hair as his face burns brightly. "Kat, you should have told me she was going to visit!"_

...Why do I get the feeling that Kat is a nickname for Katherine?

My widened eyes soften, feeling the nostalgia washing over me. Even in this era, we felt like a family.

"Katherine?" enters another voice, jarring me out of the memories and causing both Katherine and I to turn around to meet Kellyn.

"Prince Hajime!" Katherine exclaims, then curtsies. "What are you doing up in the middle of the night?"

"I could ask the same of you."

Katherine gives him a meek smile, "I was just here for some fresh air, 'tis all."

Kellyn stares at the brunette, a skeptical look on his face. "You shouldn't lie you know, especially to me or my brothers."

She bites the bottom of her lip and looks down at her feet. "I apologize for the rudeness Your Highness. I just... I just don't know how to express my gratitude towards the royal family. The past week that I have been here, you have all treated me as if I'm a part of the family, especially you, Prince Dazzle, and Prince Kazuki, but... it makes me feel like I'm only a burden."

Kellyn sighs and takes his place next to Katherine at the balcony, staring up into the Milky Way. "Well, you don't really need to do anything. My brothers have taken a liking to you, and it would not be right if we kick you out when you don't have a way to survive by yourself."

There is a moment of silence. I feel really bad right now. It's rude to eavesdrop on their conversation, but I don't know where to go, either. This whole place is foreign to me, but there is also a sense of familiarity to it. The opposing senses baffle me and leave me all jumbled up.

"Then let me become a servant to the palace."

"What?" Both Kellyn and I snap to attention at Katherine's proposal.

"That way, I can repay you and the royal family for your kindness, and I can earn a living for myself," she elaborates, looking at Kellyn with eyes sparking with resolve.

"..." He remains silent with an unfathomable expression. "After gaining your freedom, are you sure you want to be chained down again?" he asks seriously.

"Chained... down?" Katherine repeats, tilting her head innocently. She looks as though she doesn't know what he is talking about, but a giggle escapes her lips after a moment of thought.

"I would not call it that if it is of my own will," she replies sincerely. "There is no better freedom than to make my own decisions, Prince Hajime."

She then twirls in a circle. "Besides, I always dreamed of living in a castle."

Kellyn watches her silently for a minute before letting out a chuckle. Katherine stops and stares at him in confusion.

"You look better when you're carefree," he comments. "I believe this is the first time I heard you laugh genuinely...?"

Katherine seems to think for a moment before slowly nodding her head. "It seems so, Your Highness."

Kellyn returns to his typical calm composure and walks back to where he came from, but not before he stops and looks over his shoulder. "Katherine, if you're going to work here, just Hajime is fine. No need for the 'Your Highness' and all that other junk."

Katherine nods with slight hesitance, and he leaves.

I continue looking at the glass double door, and I feel like my eyes are starting to deceive me. I keep on seeing images of life in this palace, in what I assume to be Katherine's view. It's going to get harder and harder for me to separate myself from her if this keeps up.

The surroundings change again with a swoosh of the wind, causing me more nauseousness and one skull-splitting headache. Before long, everything just goes black, telling me in the brief second that I lost consciousness.

...

I feel someone shaking me gently, followed by a worried cry.

"Chupa... chupa!"

"Ngh..." I grimace and move my head, feeling stiff all of a sudden. I pry open my eyes to see Pachi in front of me, shaking my shoulder in an attempt to wake me up. When she sees me wake, she immediately tackles my face and nuzzles my cheek in happiness.

I pat her head reassuringly. "I'm alright Pachi, sorry to worry you."

I sit up, looking at where I wound up this time. Trees, grass, flowers, bushes... I'm in the forest again. I just know it.

A sudden wave of fear hits me like a rock, remembering what happened last time. I go into a cold sweat, and is it me, or is it getting harder to breathe here?

A distinct shout brings me out of my thoughts, similar to last time except this time, the screams are more clear... Without thinking, I run towards the source of the cries for help, noticing fire starting up in my peripheral vision.

With each step that I take, the shout gets more desperate and the fire roars louder, more demanding.

When I finally stop, I can barely breathe with the lack of oxygen in the air. Fire is spreading everywhere now, taking down trees and eating up the grass and flowers as if they are mere appetizers.

The fear in me grows, my heart pounding against my ear drums. But despite all of that, I can still hear the cry, Katherine's cry to be exact. She's near, and she needs help.

"Someone, please!"

I resume running again with Pachi latched tightly on my shoulder. When I arrive, Katherine is standing helplessly in the midst of the hungry fire. The flames have already burned her skin, as evidenced by the burn marks all over her skin and her slightly singed dress that is no longer white, but gray with ash.

She holds something in her arms, just like last time. This time, however, I see that it is a Pokémon that she is holding.

A wounded Celebi, to be exact.

Katherine coughs violently from the smoke and the yelling, dropping to her knees. I try to aid her but I only slide through her, just as with all the others. How do I always keep forgetting about that?

"... I'm... sorry Celebi..." Katherine coughs weakly, lying down in defeat. "I couldn't help you..."

Her eyelids sag as the fire surrounds all four of us. Pachi shivers in fear, tightening her grip on me.

"Chupa..."

I can't comfort my Pokémon partner as I watch in horror at what is happening to Katherine and Celebi.

"...Kazuki, Dazzle, Hajime..." she mumbles, almost as if she is just going into slumber. "I'm... sorry... I won't be able to say... goodbye."

I widen my eyes, shaking all over, and I hold onto my head, as if that's going to keep me from going insane or something. "No... nononono..."

Fire. It's everywhere.

I watch helplessly as it caves in on us, devouring Katherine and Celebi as if they are the main course.

I can feel it. The heat of the fire melting my skin and incinerating my insides to a crisp; it feels like thousands of spiking needles lit up with hungry flames are stabbing repeatedly into me, setting my inner organs on fire. I clutch my chest and gasp for air, but every time I try to breathe, my chest ends up getting more fiery, as if breathing only makes the pain even worse than it is.

"Chu... pa!" I can faintly hear Pachi calling me, but the roaring fire consumes my senses of hearing and sight, leaving me with blurry vision and distorted sounds. The heat is unbearable as it continues to burn me.

I scream, I can feel the vibrations in my throat, but I don't hear anything. I can't hear anything anymore, nor can I see straight.

With sweat dropping down my face, I try to reach for something in panic, but it burns to ashes itself, leaving me with only a scorched palm. When my mind can no longer take the pain, I collapse, everything falling into darkness again.

* * *

"Wake up," comes a soft voice, followed by an icy sensation.

I groan, tossing my head left and right. I hate this. How many times have I fainted in this stupid... illusion? And the last one is not something I want to feel ever again.

"Wake up, or I'm going to pour a bucket of ice on you."

"Wait WHAT?!" I exclaim, instantly bolting up into a sitting position. It takes a few seconds for me to blink the white spots from my vision, but I can see Katherine standing in front of me and Pachi next to her leg clearly enough.

The EleSquirrel Pokémon has tears around her eyes when she sees me, and I get the feeling that she thought that I was dead. She jumps and buries her face at the crook of my neck.

"It's okay Pachi," I reassure her. I feel bad for her having to see me faint multiple times in a day... or has it only been a day? I can't keep track with all the time jumping that we've been through.

"How are you feeling?" Katherine asks, crouching down to my level. Since she can see and talk to me this time, I'm assuming that she's the real one.

"...Terrible," I groan, rubbing my head. "Just what happened?"

"You were in our memory," she explains, tilting her head slightly to the side.

I stare at her blankly, and then – speechlessly – point at her, and then at me, and back again. She understands what I'm trying to say and nods.

"Yep, all that you have seen and experienced, they were your memories as well as mine," she explains. "The reason you have problems telling me from you is because you can't. As I said before, you are Katherine Hitomi."

"...Wait... Wait wait wait," I hold a hand up to emphasize. I need to get one thing clear before I can do anything else. "Just what era did you show me?"

She stares at me without blinking. "Almia, a millennium ago."

I heave a sigh and close my eyes. "One second, okay?"

I stand up and turn around. "OH MY ARECUS, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! 1000 YEARS AGO?! I WAS ALIVE THEN?! HOW COME I HAVE MEMORIES THAT I DON'T RECALL HAVING?!"

After screaming some more, I stop to catch my breath and turn back around, then sit back down. I guess I wasn't used to all this weird stuff yet.

"Done?" Katherine queries nonchalantly, as if she has seen this before. Pachi, on the other hand, has eyes as wide as saucers and an expression as stunned as a Magikarp's.

"Yep," I reply calmly. Frankly, I have a feeling that I have this before as well, and it feels great to get it out of my system.

I still would like to think this is all a dream and that when I wake up, I'll be in my bed back at the Union HQ, though.

"You're not dreaming," Katherine comments, sitting down in front of me.

"Thanks... way to burst the only comforting bubble I have," I deadpan at her. "So what exactly happened? I didn't understand how you – I – we were caught in the forest fire holding Celebi."

Katherine heaves a sigh and stands up, urging me to do so as well. "We were tending to our own business back in Almia Castle when we heard a strangled cry for help. It led us all the way into the nearby forest. I was told to never go in there alone because I didn't have a Pokémon to protect me. But I couldn't leave whoever it was to suffer in there, so I went in, not thinking of what might happen to me."

"...Sounds like me alright," I muse.

Katherine smiles meekly in agreement before continuing. "I found Celebi badly injured. I didn't know why then, I just wanted to help. The forest was set on fire that day, ending our life... my life. That's why I have the appearance of a kid. I died as a kid."

"It was then I learned about Celebi's trouble. She reached out and pulled me into the time gap when I was on the verge of slipping into the afterlife." Katherine starts to circle around and walk, prompting me and Pachi to follow her down the path of pure nothingness.

"She told me that she has been traveling through time, escaping the clutches of an ominous force that wanted power from her. She thanked me for my efforts to help her and apologized that she had dragged me into an early death. In exchange for the unexpected deal, she gave me an offer."

In the distance, I can see a speck coming into focus, and I wonder what it is. Katherine doesn't seem fazed by it; she's heading towards it, after all.

"She would reverse my time, reset it back to my birth, but she would have to take sanctuary in my body because that would use up the last of her already-depleted energy. If I did accept, her enemy would become mine, and we'd both be on the run until she found a way to end it once and for all. I didn't think much on it. All I wanted was to help Celebi and see my friends again. I didn't know what would happen after that."

We reach our destination, which looks to be a small wooden shrine. I stare at it in curiosity, wondering what it is doing in the middle of nowhere.

"...What did happen?" I ask instead.

Katherine looks at the shrine with pained eyes. She closes her eyes as the mini double door of the shrine starts to shine and open. "It's better to just show you."

"Bi bi!" A green Pokémon flies out of the shrine in a bright glow of light. I block my eyes with my arm at the brightness and then put my arm down, only to yelp in surprise upon seeing Celebi staring straight at me.

"Celebi resides in your subconscious as well," Katherine explains, with the Time Travel Pokémon sitting on her head, giggling. She looks up at the green fairy and Celebi nods in response.

She beats her tiny wings in the air and twirls around once before her body shines a brilliant green. The white floor under us starts to change. Our surroundings change as well, and this time, I don't feel like I'm riding a roller coaster. Why couldn't they just use this method instead?

"Chupa?" Pachi muses, tilting her head in confusion as she looks up at Celebi.

"It appears Pachi remembers Celebi," Katherine remarks, looking on as the two Pokémon starts to converse.

"...What?" I say incredulously. Don't tell me...

"No, unlike you – us, who merely have our flow of time reset," she informs, "Pachi is a reincarnation of her past self."

"How does that... How's that different?"

"With reincarnation, there's no guarantee that you will be reincarnated right away, or as the same person or even species. But us, Celebi simply resets our time. You're always Katherine Hitomi, and you always come back right away."

I stand there, unable to form words. They seem to have lost their meaning as things get more complicated. Suddenly, we hear footsteps and voices.

* * *

"Kazuki, Dazzle, have you seen Katherine anywhere?" Kellyn queries, finding it weird that said girl isn't in her usual places.

"No... Shouldn't she be in the library?" Lunick suggests.

"Nope."

"The studies?" Keith tries.

"Been there."

They then take turns guessing all the places that Katherine could be at.

"Garden?"

"Didn't find her asleep anywhere there."

"Kitchen?"

"She isn't allowed there after she accidentally cut herself."

"Ah..." Lunick raises a finger in front of him in revelation. "Right. I forgot about that little incident. Didn't think a butter knife can do that."

"Have you tried her room?" Keith tries one more time.

"Not there either." Kellyn's response earns him strange looks from his two brothers. "...I knocked and no one answered," he deadpans. "I also asked one of the maids if she was in there, but they said no."

"If you say so..." Keith and Lunick chime in unison, suspicion dripping from their tones. Kellyn rolls his eyes, walking away since they are no help at all.

"Why are you looking for her?" Keith queries.

"I needed her to help me with some things," he replies back.

Before Lunick or Keith can speak again, a servant quickly rushes into the castle calling for help, with skin the color of ghosts. The prices quickly make their way to him, but they can't understand him, for the servant is talking too fast and panicky.

"Theforestisonfire!Quick,wemustputitout!Isawsomeoneenteringtheforestbeforeitstarted!"

"What?" Keith voices out the confusion that the other two have in their head. "Mind speaking slower?"

The servant takes a deep breath and repeats what he said. "Your Highnesses, the forest near the castle is on fire!" he says urgently, wildly motioning his hands. "We have to put it out, or it'll spread! I also saw someone entering the forest before it started!"

"WHAT?!" the three boys exclaim. They quickly call everyone to go help while they inform their mother and father of the situation. They tell the servant to rest, since he had done all he could.

Before Kellyn can go with Lunick and Keith, something hits him. He quickly stops the servant with worry written on his face.

"Do you recognize who it was that entered?" he interrogates, trying to sound calm but failing to mask all of the urgency in his voice. "Or do you at least know what they looked like?"

"I..." The servant pauses to think. "I saw a girl wearing a white dress; I think it might be Miss Katherine."

The scene spirals and fades, replaced by another.

"...Do we have to be affected by the rain? I mean, people are transparent to us, so I don't see any reason why the rain is not," I deadpan, my hair and clothes soaked by the cascading rain and the piercing wind. We are outside of the castle, looking over what used to be a luscious green forest, but is now a charcoal black. Dark clouds loom over the place, with lightning flashing and thunder rolling.

"Unfortunately, Celebi's power does not work that way," Katherine replies, drenched as well. "You wanted to know what happened, so you shouldn't complain. As they say: Beggars can't be choosers."

I roll my eyes and remain silent, though I do wonder how we are able to see all of this, since it is after our death.

"Dammit...!" Kellyn is on all fours and pounding he ground with his fist. All three of the boys' faces are wet with the rain, but also with tears. With the fire eating up the forest, a feeling of helplessness pervades. All they could do was to hold back Kellyn from going in there and killing himself. They wanted to go in and rescue Katherine as well, but they also had to worry about the safety of the entire castle, as well as their own blood.

"Hajime..." Keith starts, reaching a hand for said prince. "Don't beat yourself over it, it-"

He doesn't get to finish, as Kellyn forcefully hits his hand away, interrupting him. He stands up, his bangs hiding one of his eyes. "Don't beat myself over it?" he repeats with seething anger. "I wouldn't be doing that if you two would just let me go help her!"

Lunick and Keith are stunned by his sudden raised voice and anger, traits rarely showed by Kellyn. However, instead of being depressed and comforting, the latter's face burns with anger against the cold raindrops.

"You're going to blame it on us now?" Keith retaliates. "Isn't it your fault for not keeping an eye on Katherine?! It's always you that seems to know where she is all the time!"

"I only kept tabs on her because she didn't have anybody to protect her, like father sending guards and Pokémon wherever we go!" Kellyn retorts, throwing all of his calm demeanor and logic out of the window.

"G-guys..." Lunick tries to break up the fight, but he doesn't really know how to. They rarely fight, and it was always over petty subjects; nothing had ever caused Kellyn to snap out of his typical character so suddenly. "We shouldn't-"

"DON'T TRY TO STAY OUT OF THIS BY BEING PEACEMAKER, KAZUKI!" both Keith and Kellyn shout in fury.

"If it wasn't for you, Katherine would have a Pokémon to aid her!" Kellyn exclaims. "But you deemed it too dangerous for her to control one!"

"Me?" Lunick points to himself, an scowl immediately appearing on his face. "Excuse me for trying to look after her too! Do you know what kinds of Pokémon were in the selection?! They were all from the wild, with no training whatsoever!"

"Really?" Keith scoffs. "And you never bothered to teach her nor train the Pokémon!?"

"And neither did you," Kellyn snaps. "None of you cared for her safety!"

"Well, maybe if you hadn't agreed to her working here, she would still be alive!" Keith snaps back.

They continue to argue under the rainy sky, the flashing lightning matching the anger and hatred in their faces.

With tears of anger and sadness, all shed for the loss of Katherine and their own guilt for not being there to help her, their bonds with each other slowly drip apart.

* * *

"The three princes fought all out for the first time since they were born. This is the beginning of their broken brotherhood, as no one ever apologized to the other and repented for their mistakes," Katherine speaks as the scene fades away.

I blink, and touch my cheeks, realizing that everything is dry again, but they're still wet. Have I... have I been crying without noticing? I look at Katherine to see that she wasn't crying, but her eyes look sad, pained, and guilty.

"...How... how do you know all of this?" I ask, my voice trembling. "It happened after our death, how do you know?"

"Bi bi..." Celebi says sadly.

"Because," Katherine explains, hugging Celebi in her arms, "Celebi reset my time. I was there with Celebi, watching as our enemy started messing with the timeline, corrupting it with darkness. It started after the princes fought each other. There was no more peace in Almia like the King had wished."

The scene around us changes to that of the streets of ancient Almia, back to the cobblestone ground, but this time, instead of a clear blue sky, it's dark with an ominous presence.

"How were they traveling through time if only Celebi can do that?"

"They captured Celebi before, but they didn't drain of all of her powers before she managed to escape," Katherine explains. "Their power to time-travel is temporary unless they absorb all of Celebi."

"Oh..." I look back at the castle; it seems to be enshrouded in more darkness than any of the other places.

"They messed with the people of this time, especially the princes and the King. Their hearts were tainted by negativity, so they always fought from there on out. The old King, at the time, wasn't as affected. But he was tired of their argument and separated all of the princes, sending them across the kingdom. Prince Kazuki was sent to the desert region and Prince Dazzle was sent to the volcano region, while the youngest, Prince Hajime, was allowed to stay and watch over Almia Castle."

...I have this feeling that I have read this somewhere before. Was it from a history book?

"The King soon regretted that decision, allowing the ominous presence to take advantage of his broken heart. He fueled it with guilt, and after the death of Queen Eliza, he was completely lost to darkness. Their manipulation of the King allowed them to create a giant dark crystal, the physical manifestation of the darkness that had swallowed the kingdom. The crystal can control Pokémon, making them mindless slaves."

"...The Gigaremos?" I mumble, relating that to the technology that Team Dim Sun has.

"Celebi and I couldn't let them have their way with the timeline, so we asked the three princes for help telepathically. And they did, but... that was in exchange for their lives as well..."

"WHAT?!" I exclaim in shock as I watch Katherine. Remorse is written all over her pained expression as she balls her hands tightly into fists.

"They managed to drive the enemy out of their timeline by creating three flawless gems," Katherine continues, her voice too calm for my taste. "Hajime... Kazuki... and Dazzle... all of them... they exchanged their lives for peace to return to Almia."

I close my eyes to heave a sigh, and then open them again, staring at Katherine. "How are you so calm when you say those things? Aren't they our friends?"

She casts her gaze down, suddenly appearing older than her appearance – I mean, she is older than her physical appearance, but now she just looks older...

"I'm used to it," she explains. "I have shown it to you so many times already. After seeing it repeatedly and knowing that I can't do anything but watch, I have no more tears to shed. Our lives, as of now, have been on repeat. Haven't you ever had a dream of some kind, of a girl with brown hair and blue eyes just like yours? And of her death?"

...Now that she mentions it... I did see a girl that looked younger than me drown in a lake after getting shot. It was when I was drowning in the cargo ship. And then I saw her again when I met Katherine. "Yeah... that was me as well?"

"That was one of the newer resets," she says softly. "I'm the keeper of our time, and every new memory is embedded in me as if I'm a memory storage so that once you're reset again, the past memories are secured within me instead of staying within a child. It's the same cycle. Live, die, reset, and forget, I never have really died... it always resets back to when I'm just a child."

She shakes her head hopelessly. "I'm growing tired of this cycle, Kate. I haven't received a peaceful sleep in a thousand years, and the guilt is weighing me down. I want it to stop, but I don't know how."

Celebi comforts Katherine and then looks at me apologetically, as if I would blame it on her. But I can't. I already saw the past, felt it as well. I can already see it clearly, every time the enemy caught up to us. I look at Pachi with new understanding. That's why we could understand each other and get along so well when we first met... because it wasn't the first time we met.

I feel all the years catching up to me; all the times that I have died and been reborn; all of the memories from the different times start to flow back into my mind. It makes me feel as ancient as the Pokémon fossils. And my mom, dad, and Lila... they're not my real family, are they? They found me crying in a forest and took me in. Ironic, really.

Too much knowledge that I don't want, yet there is still something I don't understand.

"Tell me..." I start. "Whenever I have those blanks in my memories... what does it mean?"

"It's when you're unconsciously trying to apply old memories to the new environment, but it will only result in a blank slate as your body moves without your will. You cannot reproduce something that does not meet the requirements, and you weren't ready to regain your lost memories just yet, not then."

"Oh..." My shoulders slump and I look up into the dark sky that we're still under. "Trapped in time, huh. What about Kellyn and the others? I mean, if they lived a millennium ago, and now they're in the modern times... then doesn't that mean..."

Katherine shakes her head. "That's because they have been reincarnated into the present. It can't be a coincidence, either, because all of the people who were ever important to you have been reincarnated in this time. Especially the princes, the ones you know as Kellyn, Lunick, and Keith. They're going to be in danger if they are to to be involved again."

"They were reincarnated several times before, weren't they?" I ask grimly.

Katherine nods. "Be careful, this time... they might be wiped out of existence."

I widen my eyes at the horror of this information. Wiped out of existence? What does she mean by that?

"Cel Celebriii!" Celebi calls, circling in the air, stopping me from voicing my question. I look at her in confusion, but Katherine nods again and looks at me.

"She says that you need to go; you can't stay in one place for too long, or they'll find you quicker than they should."

"Wait," I say suddenly. "W-what... do you think of Kell- I mean, Hajime?" My face feels hot when I ask, but I want to know if she feels the same. She is me, after all.

Katherine smiles softly. "Our time was short, and I can only describe it as a close bond of friendship. But after a millennium of repetition and new memories of him, I have begun thinking of him as more than that. I regret having so short of a time to get to know him."

Before I can respond, I feel a pull. Pachi and I are pulled away from the girl, and she becomes nothing more than a dot. She waves at me, and I wave back with one hand cupped around my mouth.

"I'll make sure to end this so you can finally sleep!"

Everything becomes a blur again after that and fades to white.

* * *

**The next chapter or two are going to be through Kellyn's POV. Just a little heads up.**


	26. Chapter 26 - Stormy Travel

Chapter 26

**Back with an update that's faster than last time~**

**Reviews(So many! O_o)**

_**The Lady of Dragons - Lol, I wouldn't go that far as to say the idea was a genius but thank you! I was inspired by the story when I read about it and since it was so short, I decided to make a few things up and expand it but I'm glad you liked it!**_

_**ChelseaJackson - ****Me alegro de que cree que el último capítulo era bueno. Y sí , Kate y Kellyn estaban destinados el uno al otro desde el principio *^* y voy a trabajar en su relación real pronto - con suerte.**_

_**pokegirl2 - Thanks! I'm glad that the last update isn't a failure! And I hope you enjoy this chapter~**_

_**Devilboy58 - Yep yep, first time I ever had that many words in one chapter. IT'S OVER 9000! XD Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Felt the need to branch out from the game plot and this is what I got.**_

_**caird56 - Lol, I'm glad to hear that you're still reading this! I'm still trying to decide when they will kiss but they will - eventually. And Lunick is a ranger from Fiore because he was assigned there in the beginning - as per se the first Pokemon Ranger game. Their current activities are not tied down with the past so they can roam wherever they want. I hope that answers your question.**_

_**RosesOfTruth - Thank you, I just thought that a twist is a must since I'm following too close to the game plot line - still am... kinda :p**_

_**Leaf-Aprillia - Thanks! I'm glad you like the story and enjoy this update!**_

_**kcperidot - Aw, I'm flattered ^-^ Thank you for saying that! It's also great to hear that I'm improving because I don't see it myself XD.**_

**Thanks for all the reviews~ We're at 90 right now and I hope to reach 100 soon *^* Then this will be my first story to have 100 reviews! **

**Night expresses her(?) -I don't remember getting your gender (._.ll)- apology as well for the last delay.**

**Okay, I'm done, now onto the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Enjoy!**

* * *

Kellyn's POV

It's been a week. An entire week since the Chroma Ruin collapse and the disappearance of Kate. She can't be dead. I just know she can't. I know this doesn't seem like me, who thinks rather logically, but I just have this feeling that she's somewhere... And the fact that neither her body nor her Pachirisu's were not retrieved offers some hope as well. We turned over every possible rock from where Sven escaped from; nothing was found other than a few remnants of the explosives used to cause the cave-in.

"Heeelllooo!" Keith's drawl brings me out of my thoughts, prompting me to snap my gaze in his direction. We're currently flying through the Almia region on two Staraptor that we captured near the Ranger Union to patrol for any suspicious activities after the events at Chroma Ruins.

He has his brows knitted together, along with a dissatisfied frown. I must have unintentionally been ignoring him. "What?"

"How are you accepting this?!" he blurts out. "They wouldn't let us go search for Kate ourselves! I mean, Lunick is about as angry as he can get right now, now that the Union won't let him conduct a search!"

I roll my eyes and look over the landscape that we are passing over – seas of trees, with mountains up ahead.

"...You think I'm okay with this?" I begin, staring him right in his eyes. "Of course not. I want go look for Kate myself as well. But what the Union said is also right. We need as many Top Rangers to be available so that we can counter Team Dim Sun's next move. Even though I can't trust the search party to find her, I know she's still alive... she just has to be."

Keith stares at me a moment, as if soaking up everything that I have just said. He switches his gaze forward in silence and breathes in deeply.

"I hate this," he mutters. "All we can do is wait."

I heave a sigh, silently agreeing with Keith's remark. There really isn't much we can do when we're placed on standby. Lunick was head-over-heels furious when he found out about the situation. He immediately said that he was going to go find her, but Chairperson Emma stopped him, saying that there was already a group of Area Rangers searching. That didn't satisfy any of us, and Lunick had to be held back by Solana. Then he stormed out of the Union. Solana wasn't too happy either, but she knew that she had to be rational, especially now.

"She'll be fine, she's Kate, after all," was all she had said to calm Lunick down, which it did, though there was worry and fear in her eyes. I didn't really understand what she meant by that. How will Kate ever be fine if trouble is always right behind her? She always gets roped in without knowing what she's doing!

The beeping of our Fine Styler brings me back, for the second time, from my thoughts.

"Kellyn speaking," I report through the device, and from my peripheral vision, I see Keith doing the same.

"Keith, Kellyn," Lunick's face appears on the screen, looking ill-tempered still, "come back to Ranger Union and meet Prof. Hastings in the Research Facility."

"Roger," Keith and I speak in unison over the wind. We then command the two Staraptor to take us back to the Union. Once there, we make our way up to the second floor and enter through the automatic sliding door. We see Lunick and Solana standing with their backs to us as Prof. Hastings explains a few things. There is a podium with an encased dark crystal in it standing off to the side.

"Hey guys!" Murph greets with a wave, which diverts the others' attention to us.

"Ah, just in time!' Prof. Hastings remarks. "We were just discussing about Brighton."

"Brighton?" I repeat, digging into my mind for information that I know I've read before. "Wasn't he the second president of Altru?"

The Professor nods. "Lunick and Solana even went to double-check."

"And what a trip that was," Lunick comments caustically. He looks really irritated at the moment - more nettled than before. Is there something that he saw that bothered him?

Solana sighs in exasperation and shakes her head. "Don't mind him. We ran into the Go-Rock Squad in Altru Square and Lun wasn't particularly found of Clyde..."

"Don't you dare say his name!" Lunick snaps irately, which tells us all to back away from him. He isn't usually like this, but I guess stressing about Kate's disappearance has caused him to be easily angered. "That no good little..." There is something after it, but I can't quite hear it. I don't think anyone does, but I'm pretty sure it's somewhere along the line of 'lady's man'? From that, I can pretty much deduce as to why Lunick is so agitated.

"I can't believe all of them turned over a new leaf and started a band. A. Freaking. Band!"

Solana sighs again. "Lun, they can do whatever they want with their lives now that they've been released."

"Ahem," Prof. Hastings coughs, getting our attention. "Let's not get off topic here."

A chorus of bland yeses comes from us and we silence ourselves to listen to what Prof. Hastings has to say.

"As I have said, we were discussing about Brighton, as we discovered that the diary that Sven found belonged to that man. As of now, we do not know of his location or if he is still alive or not." Prof. Hastings then turns to a scientist next to him, who is holding a clipboard.

"Since they're all here, why don't you start the presentation Nage?"

Nage nods before looking down to his clipboard and walking over to pull up an image of the diary that Sven found. The words could barely be made out and the pages looked like they could turn into dust any seconds now. "We've estimated that Brighton's diary dates back to some time approximately thirty years ago-"

"Thirty?!" Keith interrupts. "That's ancient!"

"Keith," I say, giving him a stern look and then nudging him towards Nage, who has his eyebrow raised. Keith laughs sheepishly before giving the scientist an apology and asking for him to continue.

"Ahem," he clears his throat. "As I was saying, the diary is indeed thirty years old and at that time, the oil in Chroma Ruins seemed to be running out. There was a minor panic, but Brighton made a huge discovery while drilling in the oil field. He found a mysterious, gigantic black crystal amounted atop a ceremonial dias – the "Shadow Crystal", according to Sven's report. Brighton wrote something similar to that of his heart being pulled towards the crystal and resonating with it. He sensed the crystal embodied an immeasurably vast amount of energy. The diary also mentioned his son, but not much. It was written that Brighton left Blake Hall with his wife and focused on studying the Shadow Crystal, believing that its power would be able to solve Almia's energy problems... Unfortunately, that's all we're able to decipher as of now. We will be working on restoring and scanning the dairy thoroughly."

"Well done Nage." Prof. Hasting nods and strokes his beard. "At least now we know the connection between the Shadow Crystal and Altru."

"Shadow Crystal..." I mumble, trying to figure out why that sounds so familiar. I glance over to Keith and the others, seeing them to be in deep thought as well. Could they be thinking of the same thing? It doesn't seem likely.

Murph muses about how the small crystal fragment that is on display right now could solve Almia's energy problem. He stalks closer to it and he is suddenly outlined in a bright blue, surprising all of us. I also feel a tug in my chest towards the light, as if it's calling me.

"W-what is t-this?!" Murph exclaims in a panic as the light surrounding him flashes brightly. Some of us have to shield our eyes from the bright light. I was about to when I hear a voice calling to me. It sounds so familiar and desperate, but I can't figure out who it belongs to.

"Murph, is there something under your shirt?" Solana asks through the gape of her arms that shields her eyes.

I feel myself being pulled even more as the voice gets stronger. My heart seems to constrict under its light, and it's becoming slightly difficult to breathe.

"H-huh?" Muprh says, patting his shirt and pulling out a blue pendant that he is wearing. "Oohh! It's my pendant that's shining! So pretty~!"

I see Prof. Hasting and the other researchers rushing around, analyzing and gauging the reaction of the light to the dark crystal.

"Outstanding!" Prof. Hastings exclaims, turning to us. "Murph! Where did you get that pendant?!"

As they speak, my chest starts to hurt and I move a hand to clutch at it. My knees start to give way, and I fall onto one knee with shallow breaths and sweat trailing down my forehead.

It is only when Murph walks away from the case and the pendant stops glowing that the pain in my chest subsides.

"Kellyn?" Keith asks, noticing my disheveled posture. "Are you okay? You look pale."

"F-fine..." I mutter, pushing myself to stand up. "Hia Valley, right? We should go check."

I heard them talking about it, even though I was distracted somewhat by the pain.

"Kellyn," Solana starts, "you don't look fine to me. I think you should stay here and rest."

"Solana is right," Prof. Hastings comments. "It's best if I send Keith to investigate."

I shake my head. "I want to go." I don't know why, but I just have this feeling that I have to go to Hia Valley. There's something waiting there for me, and I need to go retrieve it before something happens.

"I think Kellyn should go," Lunick says suddenly, earning our attention. He was too quiet during this discussion, and now, he's as serious as I am – which is very out of character for him.

"Lun..." Solana starts to argue, but when she sees how serious he is, she stops and sighs, as if already defeated. Form what I have learned, once Lunick has made up his mind, he won't be dissuade.

"It's better to have two Rangers investigate this though," Lunick continues. "If anything happens, one of them will contact us and report the situation, and I'm sure Kellyn could pull his own weight. We'll be here, ready to go if anything happens."

"Yeah," Ketih adds. "And if Kellyn collapses due to some unknown force, I want to be the first one there to see it."

"...Seriously?" I deadpan at my so-called friend.

"Hey, it's not everyday that I get to see you decide to do something reckless." Keith gives a goofy grin, swinging his hands behind his head.

"If you really want to go... Very well then," Prof. Hastings says thought hesitantly. "You're a Top Ranger and you're responsible for your own decisions. Now, if we have that settled, let's not waste any time! Make haste and go already!"

* * *

Lunick's POV

We walk out of the Research Facility with the others.

"Why did you let me go?" Kellyn asks from beside me.

I think about it for a moment before giving him a smile. "Somehow, I just have a feeling."

"Of?"

"That you'll go no matter what they say," I answer, but that's not exactly what I have in mind. I have the feeling that there is something waiting for him somewhere in or near Hia Valley. And that glow from that pendant... It felt warm and familiar, and the first thing that came to mind was Kellyn. I don't know if anyone else felt the warmth, but I did.

"You two should go now," I say. "The faster you get there and back, the better it will be to cool Prof. Hastings's excitement. He's getting too senile for that, I don't think it would be good for his health."

"Lun!" Solana chides in disapprovingly. "Don't speak of the Professor that way! He's perfectly fine! Remember how he hiked that mountain that time after he accidentally slip from Pidegot's grip when you tried to do some fancy acrobatics?"

"Oh yeah... he's wacko." That earns me a whack upside the head.

"... Is that why Prof. Hasting prefers to use any other kinds of transportation that doesn't involve Pokémon flying?" Keith asks in revelation. Okay, maybe I overdid it on the tricks for the Professor to gain that phobia but it wasn't _that_ bad. I just went in loops followed by some dives and spins and zigzags - yeah... I'll stop now.

"Oh hey guys!" We look ahead to see Rhythmi racing towards us with a stack of paper in her hands. "Are you all going somewhere?"

"They are," I jab a thumb towards Keith and Kellyn. "Solana and I are still stuck here."

"Oh..." Rhythmi says, sounding crestfallen. I guess she's still worried about Kate, but that's natural for best friends, right?

"How's the search progressing?" Solana asks. Rhythmi shakes her head in dismay.

"They haven't reported anything," the blonde replies in a broken tone. "I'm scared... W-what if... What if Kate's-"

"She's fine," I cut in, and everyone looks at me. "Take it from someone who's known her since she was a kid. I just know that she's alive."

"That's similar to what Kellyn said!" Keith pipes, causing Kellyn to snap at him to shut up and hit him on the head.

"Oho?" My lips curve into a sly smirk, mentally filing this fact away for later use. Hm... maybe as blackmail?

"Whatever, let's leave already," Kellyn says impatiently, turning quickly away and speed-walking away with Keith in tow.

"I'll see you guys later!" Keith shouts. "And don't worry Rhythmi, Kate's going to be back before we know it!"

...

I'm looking up at the tree on the top floor of the Ranger HQ when I hear soft footsteps behind me. I sigh, but I don't look back, knowing who it is already. "You felt it too, right?"

"...Yeah," Solana answers after a while. She's been around me long enough to know what I'm talking about and understand it like no one else does - we're not psychics though. "But I think it affected Kellyn more."

I sit down and pat the spot next to me as an indication that she should sit too. "I don't know what is going on here, but it has something to do with Kellyn... and maybe us too. Something's going on, and I hate to just be on standby. All this waiting and not knowing anything is really making me itch."

"I know," Solana replies, sitting down next to me. "We're all connected somehow."

I raise an eyebrow at her, but she doesn't answer me. Sometimes, Sol can be hard to read. "Maybe."

"Lun," Solana starts and I turn back to her direction as she stares at me straight in the eyes. "Is there something wrong today? You didn't seem particularly happy with the Go-Rock Squad becoming a band. Isn't it better than to have them as villains?"

I scoff. "Villains or not, they still haven't changed. That Clyde... always trying to be the charmer." I mutter the last part so that she won't hear me, but I think she did because she giggles.

"Seriously, Lun?" she laughs. "That's what bothered you about Clyde? Because he talked to me? I have to admit, he is popular among the girls, and he isn't that bad looking."

"...Don't push it." I warn and glare at the blunette beside me.

"To be honest, I think Billy is better," Solana remarks, and I can't tell if she's teasing or not.

"SOL!" I exclaim in a sudden outburst, my face heating up in anger, but it only makes her laugh even louder and fall with her legs kicking the air like a happy little kid.

"I didn't know you could be jealous!" she exclaims, laughing. My face is no longer heating up from anger, but from embarrassment.

"Oh yeah?" I retaliate. "Says the one who was in a sour mood for a week when Tiffany flirted with me during our last encounter!"

She stops suddenly and bolts back up with a glare. I smirk, knowing that I just gained the upper hand.

"I was not!"

I cross my arms. "Then explain why you were being snappy and refused to talk to your own partner for a solid week."

"Well, I..." She opens and closes her mouth like a Magikarp, but no other words come out. Ha, she can't find an excuse!

"Maybe I should call her over to catch up over a cup of coffee," I continue teasingly, enjoying Solana's flustered face. She suddenly twists her face into an expression of disgust and starts to stand up.

"Fine, it's not like I care!" she retorts and starts to walk away. But I quickly take ahold of her wrist and pull her down towards me, prompting her to let out a yelp of surprise.

"Geez, you still can't take a joke, can you?" I tease, holding her as she leans against me with her face buried in my chest. She moves away and and looks at me disapprovingly, though I can still see the small traces of red on her cheeks.

"You..."

"Aw, and you're blushing," I coo, interrupting her with a teasing, sweet smile. "How cute."

She tries to get out of my grip, but I only tighten it. In that instant, voices start to fill my mind, strange yet familiar ones. They sound urgent, as if something is about to happen. I can only catch onto a bit of what they are saying, and everything else is just distant sounds.

_"Stay by my side, no matter what, okay?"_

_"I can take care of myself!"_

_"I know you can, but I can't risk losing you, not now, not ever!"_

"Lun, let go of-" I stop her when I bring her back into a hug and hold her as tightly as I can. Something about those voices... It felt like it had something to do with Solana. I can't imagine myself without her; she's always the one that keeps me on track. I wouldn't know what to do without her.

"L-Lunick?" Solana asks, probably confused by my actions.

I let out a shaky breath. "Just don't leave my side. Kate's still missing, and I don't want the same to happen to you."

Somehow, she just understands without questioning me, because she returns my embrace with a comforting one. "I won't. And Kate will come back."

* * *

Kellyn's POV

"...What the hell is this?!" Keith exclaims in frustration as I simply analyze what is in front of us.

"Well, it's obviously a large block of ice."

Keith rolls his eyes and cross his arms indignantly. "Thanks Captain Obvious."

I shrug. "You asked and I answered." I then look around for any way of breaking the large block of ice that's blocking our way out of Crystal Cave. We came here by water, more specifically, via Floatzel, seeing that there is really no other way. Once we entered and hopped onto the dry land of the cavern, we started to wander deeper. As we did, the temperature seemed to drop at a steady rate, indicating that we were getting closer to Hia Valley. I have read that it's rather cold there, with blizzards every now and then, and that it's always snowing – however little it is sometimes.

When the cave walls were starting to become coated with a layer of ice, I knew that we were almost there... until we saw a mammoth ice block in our way. It's definitely not natural, so someone must have placed it there to prevent us – or anyone who might come through – from going any further.

I check the density of the ice and step back in thought. It's too thick for us to break through with the Pokemon we have, so we'll have to find one that will be able to melt the ice thoroughly. I think I remember seeing a Camerupt somewhere back where we came from.

"Stay here," I order and quickly run back without waiting for Keith to reply. A few minutes later, I come back with the now captured Eruption Pokémon and command him to use Flamethrower. It takes a few minutes, but we are able to melt the ice enough for us to pass through.

"Why didn't I think of that?!" Ketih exclaims after the Pokémon finishes melting the ice. "Nice one, Kel!"

"Thanks Camerupt," I thank the Pokémon, then release him from the capture. "And don't go calling me that."

He merely grins, and we continue down the path that was blocked before. However, both of us stop after a while and tense up.

"Did you..." Keith trails, looking around for any suspicious movement.

I dart my eyes around and sigh. "Keith, Buizel, heads up. Pachirisu, Discharge."

"Wha -"

My Pokémon partner nods, releasing blue lightning all through our surroundings, causing Keith to jump in surprise and him and Buizel to have to dodge them. Discharge is a field-range attack, so it should hit that certain individual hiding behind us – better than playing hide and seek any day.

"Oi!" Keith shouts. "What's the big-"

His angry complaint is cut short by a scream.

"Bingo," I mutter as a rather charred Team Dim Sun grunt falls out from his hiding spot - not dead, just unconscious and extra crispy.

"Uh... should we leave him?" Keith questions. I shrug to say 'why not.' We walk forward, seeing an exit up ahead along with the pelting snow and the sounds of the howling wind.

"... ACHOO!" Keith sneezes once we get outside and hugs himself, shivering. "W-we s-should have w-wore some-something warm!"

I have lived in cold climates before, but I have to admit, it's quite cold here, and our Ranger Uniform doesn't help much against it, since they're made to suit warmer weather. I should have remembered to prepare for this... It must have slipped my mind.

Pachirisu shivers as well and circles around my neck in an attempt to keep both of us warm.

"Thanks Pachirisu."

"FOR THE LAST TIME GIVE US THE DAMN EMPOLEON SO WE CAN GET TO ALMIA CASTLE ALREADY!" A shout reaches us over the howling wind, and it sounds like it's close by. Keith and I exchange looks before running towards it. There must be more Team Dim Sun members here, but why? What are they looking for now that they mined out the Shadow Crystal?

We get there just in time to see two Team Dim Sun grunts sending two Houndoom to attack a man - dressed for the weather - shielding an injured Empoleon behind him. Nothing is said between us as we both jump in to help.

"Capture on!" I release my capture disc and use my index and middle finger to guide it. It's slightly difficult to see the disc's path through the falling snow, but I manage to send it around one of the Houndoom and begin securing the capture. The Dark Pokémon seems reluctant for some reason, unlike the other Pokémon we've encountered that were controlled by Team Dim Sun. Strange...

Perhaps something is intercepting the wavelength that the Miniremos sends off?

"Capture complete," I declare, returning my capture disc as the Houndoom emits a glow. I then glance at Keith to see that he just finished as well.

"W-what are Rangers doing here?!" one of the grunts exclaims, pointing at us, their Miniremo destroyed after the successful captures.

I scowl. "I could ask the same of you two Team Dim Sun grunts."

"Let's get out of here!" the other one yells, already on the run.

"And don't come ba-CHOO!" Keith sneeze again, going back to rubbing his arms and dancing in place. Thank Arceus that we aren't anywhere near a mountain or there would have been an avalanche.

"Thank you so much for saving me and Empoleon!" the man behind us says in gratitude. Seeing that Keith is freezing to death, he invites us to his dome hut – which looks like an igloo – in Shiver Camp and offers us hot chocolate. Empoleon rests in the corner and I notice the bandage wrapped around its right wing. It must have been injured somehow and for unknown reasons, it's staring at me, as if to confirm something.

"I'll give you two something that will help in this weather. Oh, and I'm the leader of a Pokémon Research Team settled in Hia Valley. You can call me Pamur, everyone else does," he introduces as he searches his closet. "And you must be the Rangers that my son told me to expect."

"Your son?" Keith asks after a sip out of his mug. "You mean Murph?"

"Yes." He takes out two sets of brown fur overcoats, gloves, and boots and hands them to us to put on. "I'm glad that you two came just in time to help, or that Empoleon would have been in more danger."

"Why did Team Dim Sun go after the Empoleon?" I ask while putting on the coat. Keith is hopping up and down, trying to put on a boot.

Pamur sighs in distress. "Empoleon is the only Pokémon that can be used to reach Almia Castle, seeing that the Ice Lake is infamous for its large pieces of drifting ice and fast currents. Empoleon are made for speed and mobility in water. Their wings are sharp as razor, so they can slice apart drifting ice that comes in their way."

"Ack!" I look over to see that Keith hit the nearby bookshelf. The books then falls over him. We sweatdrop at the sight. Maybe he should have put on the boots sitting down.

"I'm okay!"

"Why Almia Castle?" I ask, pretending as if that never happened. I know that it's the oldest structure in Almia that still exists today, but what would Team Dim Sun get from entering the ancient castle?

"I haven't a clue..." Pamur answers, sitting down to rest for a bit. "They just came up to me while I was tending the injured wing on the Empoleon and demanded I hand him over. That castle has been long abandoned, ever since it became encased in ice due to extreme climate change. It makes no sense for anyone to go near there, especially when it was rumored to have bizarre things occurring in there."

I glance at the table and see a part of the Almia Times laying on it. I guess our enemy are making themselves known to the world now.

"By the way, how is Murph doing at the Ranger Union?"

"Eh, he's doing fine," Keith replies, plopping down onto a seat after finishing putting everything on. "He makes mistakes from time to time thought."

"Oh? I hope he isn't causing any of you any trouble," Pamur responses in concern. "He can be a little much to handle, but he means well."

"Speaking of Murph," I say, remembering what we came here to do. "Do you know of the blue pendant that you gave him?"

"Blue... pendant?" He tilts his head to the side but then the realization hits him. "Oh! The blue pendant! Yes, it's a souvenir for Murph, since I'm only able to visit him every so often. What about it?"

"Where did you get it from?" Keith asks, straight to the point.

"Let me think..." Pamur hums for a moment before speaking again. "That pendant was handmade by Mrs. Winter, who is a local resident of Hia Valley."

"Who in their right mind would live here?!" Keith exclaims in disbelief.

"Now now," Pamur says. "She's a sweet old lady that's become a motherly figure to all of us in this research camp. She even helps us with our data collection."

"Maybe she can help us as well." I start to get up. "We need to know more about the pendant and the blue gem."

"I'm sorry that I can't be of more help," Pamur comments, "but I'll guide you there myself. I want to give Mrs. Winter a visit anyways."

After getting a few things and Pamur telling a few researchers to take over the treatment of the Empoleon, we head back out of the dome hut, now wearing suitable clothes for the cold weather.

Pachirisu is nestling in the fur hood, perfectly comfortable as well. Keith's Buziel didn't seem to be bothered by the cold, but that's probably because he's a water type and has dealt with cold temperatures before.

...

"What's with this sudden snowstorm?!" Keith shouts over the wind while all of us put our arms in front of us to shield our eyes. I wondered about that too, since the weather seemed calm when we stepped out, but it's suddenly became a snowstorm. It seems illogical for the weather to change in a matter of minutes.

"This is anomalous!" Pamur shouts back. "We didn't predict the storm to arrive till next week!"

I must have been too distracted by the storm, but I can't hear their voices anymore after a while of trekking through the snow. I peek through my arms, but with the storm, I can barely see my hand if I extend it out fully. It's that bad.

"Keith? Pamur?" I call out, but the only response I get in return is the howling wind. I frown; I must have lost them. Or they're just a few meters ahead or behind me and they can't hear over the wind.

After more wandering around, something catches my attention. Despite the surroundings already being as white as it is, I can see a light hovering a distance away from me, and it seems to be calling me to it.

_"This way."_

Maybe I'm imagining things, but I'm positive that I hear a voice. I don't have any other option, seeing that I'm now stranded in the middle of a blizzard. If something is telling me to listen and follow the glow as it guides my way, I'm going to take its advice. I still can't help but feel like this is one of those situations where a stranger tries to give a child some unknown candy to eat. I know I should think more on it, but my body is already on autopilot.

Soon, I reach a lake with large icebergs creating walls three stories tall. The pounding wind hits my face with the strength of a thick tome, since I didn't bother to shield it. I watch as the snow falls like rain, but it doesn't seem to bother me as much as before.

"Chupa?" Pachirisu peeks out of my hood to see what is going on.

"This is... Ice Lake?" I mutter to no one in particular. I look up at the speck of light hovering above the water, but I can't go any further. And anyways, why is it trying to lead me to Almia Castle?

"Empol!"

I look over my shoulder to see an Empoleon rushing in my direction. I squint further and am barely able to make out the bandage on his right wing, allowing me to immediately recognize him as the one from Shiver Camp.

"Empoleon, what are you doing here?" I ask, but I don't expect to understand what he will give as an answer. He looks over to the only opening within the iceberg wall and then back at me.

He squawks his name again and jumps into the icy cold water. I shy away from the splash, since it's already cold as it is. He reappears above the water's surface and motions for me to get on his back.

I am slightly baffled at his intentions, but when he look up at the sky, towards the light orb, I know he is trying to give me a ride to wherever the light wants to take me. Well, if a Pokémon is willing to aide this strange phenomenon, I suspect it won't be anything bad, and the Empoleon seems to know something.

I mentally scold myself for doing this as I hitch a ride on the Empoleon. "Pachirisu, secure yourself okay?"

The ElecSquirrel Pokémon nods obediently before going back into the safe shelter of my hood.

The Emperor Pokémon lets out a cry before speeding off into the water. At a speed faster than a speed boat, it's hard to keep my eyes open without feeling as if the wind is slicing through them.

When we come against a drifting block of ice, Empoleon outstretches his wings and lifts his beak perfectly parallel to the water's surface; he seems to have taken the form of a jet in the water.

We slice through the ice as if it's a cloud, though I do have to shake away some lingering snow that I accumulated from the collision.

It's like a maze in the Ice Lake. There are several tall, thick icebergs that Empoleon isn't able to break through and we have to take detours around them, which involves riding on fast currents and going against others while piercing through several drifting ice blocks consecutively. He seems to know his way around the ice-maze – or is it because of the light?

I spot something strange up ahead and when we're just about five meters from it, I recognize it as a whirlpool.

"Empoleon, change course!"

The Emperor Pokémon sees it as well and manages to go around it, barely. The water seems to be pulling us in as we side-swim it, causing Empoleon's speed to decrease. We then came across a path where the water's surface is already coated with a sheet of ice. It may look solid from above, but due to the fast current beneath the ice, it's never solid enough to support much weight without cracking under the pressure.

With the speed that Empoleon now has thanks to the assistance of the current, the Emperor Pokemon's beak begin to glow and extend sharply as he continues straight ahead; it must be a modified version of Peck. The water-type takes the form of a jet once more, but the area of focus has been narrowed down to a smaller point to break the sheet of thin ice easier.

I close my eyes as water splashes on my face, and when I open them again, Empoleon is almost halfway through. It's almost like a pair of scissors cutting through fabric.

"Empoleon!" the Emperor Pokémon announces once we reach the other side of the lake. I get off of him and look up at where I am now. Up in front of me are multiple flights of stairs, with a large castle coated in ice at the top. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought it a beautiful castle made of pure ice, sparkling even in the storm.

Empoleon gets out of the water and stands next to me, motioning for me to climb the stairs.

I give Empoleon a questioning gaze before turning back to the castle. Well, if Team Dim Sun wants to get here, might as well investigate to see what they want with this place.

I start climbing the steps, my eyes never leaving the castle. As I get up the last flight of stairs, I see that there is a total of six pillars, each with an unlit torch – three on either side of me. The large double doors to the castle are closed, and the orb of light is floating in front of it. It circles around me, giving me a familiar warmth before traveling to each of the six torches, fire erupting from the tops as it floats past.

_"Enter, Master,"_ the voice in the light seems to say as it returns to levitating in front of the double doors. It slowly fades away as the fire on the torches grows larger. I hear a creak, which is followed by the swinging of the double doors in front of me, causing a burst of wind to blow in by direction. I stand my ground with narrowed eyes, shielding against the wind.

The palace seems to be inviting me in, and I feel obligated to enter. Something about this feels nostalgic, as if I'm finally home after a long time. But this place can't be where I live. Besides the fact that this ice-coated castle has been abandoned for ages, I was born in a small village in Sinnoh, so I should have never been here before, and yet... this is...

...Home?

* * *

**You're all probably wondering where Kate is at the moment or what she is doing but... I won't be tell ya'll, shell be back sooner or later. :)**


	27. Chapter 27 - Within the Walls

**Some of you might already know this but I'm back! Summer's here, that means I get some extra time to work on my fandoms! - And catching up on my animes and mangas - Sorry but letting this story be inactive for... 2 months... again. Haha... bring on the tomatoes 'cause I'm ready for them!**

**Reviews:**

_**ChelseaJackson -**__**Me alegro de que estés gustando la historia! Y gracias , fue mi intento de apartarse del juego aparte de los pequeños cambios que hice** _._**:p**_

_**Killfith - Lol, I got cha didn't I? XD Though I'll have to disappont you by telling you that the plot line will be merging back with the game, just with a little something more. Nothing unpredictable.**_

_**Devilboy58 - Glad you find it enjoyable! And here's the chapter where Kellyn will explore this here castle!**_

_**Nighttyger - :O, I understand completely! The work of applying is too much ;-; Choosing one was even more stressful and now I have all of thiese things I have to do before I actually go to the college of my choice.**_

_**Leaf-Aprillia - GLad you're enjoying the last chapter. Sorry that I took so long but here's the newest one! ;p**_

_**May845 - Bring a torh and everything will start melting! XD And thanks, I'll try my best on future chapters!**_

_**caird56 - Nah, you're not annoying at all XD Reading your reviews makes me want to keep updating! And Im so sorry for having to keep you and everyone waiting ;;**_

_**Thanks so much for reviewing and following up with this story of mine!**_

**_Disclaimer_**_**: I do not own Pokemon.**_

* * *

Kellyn's POV

I find myself within the interior of the castle. In the large entrance hall, everything is encased in ice, from the faded red carpet to the chandeliers suspended from the ceiling. Everything sparkles brilliantly wherever the light catches it, looking as though it's suspended in time.

_"Welcome back, Your Highness."_

I whip my entire body around at the sound of that welcoming, fearing someone is trying to sneak up on me. But to my bemusement, no one is behind me. Upon further inspection, there doesn't seem to be anyone in this room.

That voice… it sounded so familiar. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't quite identify the owner. And why is it addressing me with 'Your Highness'?

It's probably just my imagination. Why would there be people here if this place looks as though it can barely sustain any life other than ice-type Pokémon?

I cautiously walk over to a nearby wall, trying to not slip on the ice layered on the floor. Although it is a little blurry, due to how thick the sheet of ice is, I can still see the worn-out structure of the building. There are several cracks in the walls, some growing from the ground while others simply appear out of nowhere.

"Chupa..." Pachirisu breathes in awe as he leaps out of my hood and onto my shoulder.

He then hops off and makes his way to the stairs, though not without some slip-ups on the ice. I chuckle at that and tell him to be more careful before following after the EleSquirrel Pokémon.

I hold onto the banister as I go up slowly; my gaze focuses on the center door at the top. I don't know why, but… there is the strange feeling again. It's as if I've gone up this path before. My mind may be playing a trick on me, but I think I can see myself walking these very same steps into that room.

Pachirisu and I stare at the large double door, which has some intricate design on it, for a few minutes before I decide to push it open.

_"Ah, you're home earlier than we expected!"_

_"Hey! How was your trip?"_

Two more voices fill my mind as my vision unfocuses for a split second. I shut my eyes and shake my head before opening them again; my sight is clear and precise once more.

…Just what was that? Is my mind trying to play a trick on me?

I frown as more questions pour in with no way to answer them.

Pachirisu looks at me funny, prompting me to assure him that I'm fine. I look around the room, seeing how large it is compared to the last one with more furniture, banner flags, and portraits.

There is a long table set in the center with chairs lined up on either side. Crystallized candelabras are placed along the table with even space in between. There are plants, but they withered away a long time ago and are now encased in ice along with everything else.

Off to the side are doors that lead to other parts of the castle as well as statues of knights of the past.

I'm about to step forward when I hear panicked screams and trampling footsteps.

"W-WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

"I-IT'S A G-G-GHOOOSSTTTT!"

"RUUUNNNN!"

I sidestep behind a nearby knight statue to hide my presence; Pachirisu hides behind a pedestal holding up a large vase.

We watch as three people in familiar clothing run and slip on their way out from where we came from. I can hear the grunts of someone falling down the stairs near the door. That must have hurt.

I wonder what they freaked out about. Something involving a ghost? But they don't exist... Do they?

I signal for Pachirisu to follow me as I make my way into the open area.

I scan around, seeing nothing harmful – that is, until my eyes land on a large chunk of ice that's about twice my height and five times as wide, with the same density as the ice in the entrance hall. It seems to be placed there to seal something off and keep anyone from going through.

I'm almost positive that there's supposed to be a door behind that ice.

As I was step closer to examine the ice, a light materializes right in front of it, stopping me in my tracks. I recognize it as the same orb of light that guided me here.

Is this the object that scared the Team Dim Sun members witless?

It certainly does seem spooky, but I feel a pull emitting from it, just as before.

The blue light orb floats down and glows brightly. I have to shield my eyes with my arms and squint through the gap to avoid hurting my eyes as I look on.

There seems to be an outline, and the orb is the center of it. The outline takes the shape of a creature that looks slightly familiar, but I can't distinguish what it is. It seems human-like, but by the pointed ears and the spike on both of what I assume to be its hands, it isn't.

"What are you?" I ask in astonishment while Pachirisu hides behind my legs, afraid of the thing in front of me.

It doesn't say anything back; instead, it bows formally to me, as if recognizing and approving me.

Then the form slides back, as if on a conveyor belt, through the ice and disappears through the door on the other side.

"Wait!" I call after it, but I know it's useless. I'm starting to wonder if it's actually a ghost…

It seems to want me to go through that door and follow it. I can't exactly do that until I get rid of the ice obstacle in front of me. I'm going to have to search through the castle to find something that will melt or break the ice.

Pachirisu and I search throughout the castle, walking out onto bridges that connect one tower to the next. One room looks to just be a place to relax and socialize, seeing how there are couches with velvet cushions surrounding a small table that has a tea set resting on it.

At first, I think I saw transparent figures sitting there, and another serving tea, but it disappears as quickly as it came.

Must be a trick of light, seeing how there is a large window behind the setting, reaching to the floor; I notice the storm is still not letting up outside.

I enter another room, this one seemingly the kitchen. There is an oven in the wall surrounded by burnt bricks, and cooking utensils dangle from the ceiling.

As I look at the two wooden tables, I hear the echo of a glass breaking.

I look to the spot where I thought the sound came from. Again, I think I see someone, but when I blink, the spot is empty of any occupant.

_"Y-your Highness! I didn't hear you coming in!"_

I furrow my brows and look at Pachirisu, who is currently perching on my shoulder.

"Do you hear it?"

"Chupa?" My Pokémon partner gives me a blank look along with a sideways tilt of his head.

...Okay, either this place is really haunted or I'm losing my sanity. There is another surmise in the back of my head, but I don't think I could possibly believe it. I feel as if everything I have heard and seen was just scattered pieces of memories surfacing after long periods of repression, but I highly doubt they could be mine, and there isn't anyone else in the room. Since my Pokémon was confused when I asked him, it ruled him out automatically.

I push these thoughts to the back of my head and continue my search.

I climb up a flight of spiraling stairs, exiting into a corridor. I open up the door closest to me, but seeing nothing of interest, I move on to another one. I keep doing that until I reach the last one at the end of the hall, that door being larger than the other ones. When I open it, I have the strangest feeling that I have been entering this one daily.

Upon looking inside, I conclude that it's the castle's library. Rows upon rows of bookshelves tower up to the ceiling, all occupied by frosty books. There are a few tables and chairs and piles of books stacked on top of each other; I also see a ladder leaning against one of the taller bookshelves.

My eyes must be tricking me again. I think I see someone on the ladder, with someone else standing next to it.

_"Do you come into the library often?"_

Why does that voice sound so familiar?

The transparent figures fade quickly. There is a moment of silence before I hear the same, female voice again, but it's from elsewhere.

_"Me? Read with you? My apologies Your Highness, but I cannot. I was never taught how to."_

I circle around, trying to find the source.

_"Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you with my inabilities..."_

_"Thank you so much Your Highness! I will try my best!"_

My eyes land on a table not too far away, just in time to see a transparent figure sitting down. The face is indistinguishable, but I can still make out a smile of great happiness and eagerness before the specter fades away.

It reminds me of... Kate's smiles.

Maybe I am starting to lose my mind.

It becomes quiet after that. I decide to leave the place and head to another tower.

One of places I go to next is a room filled with armor and weapons. Different sets of armor stand to one side, while a variety of weapons hang on the wall and fill up racks on the other side.

_"Hey bro, let's get some of the training equipment and spar. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like hearing those mumbo-jumbo speeches that father makes."_

_There comes a chuckle. "That makes two of us."_

The voices are getting clearer as I hear the clashes of swords and the yelling of people charging at another. It lasts longer this time, as do the transparent figures that are fighting, but their faces are still hidden for some reason.

A wave of nostalgia hits me again as I watch the replay.

...Replay? Did I already accept that these are my memories replaying themselves? It all seems so familiar, yet distant at the same time. I recognize the voices, yet I can't label them.

The more places I explore, the more my mind is getting the better of me. I'm starting to think that I really did live here once – however impossible that sounds. With each door that I open, there is an evocative air that hits me, getting stronger each time.

I enter another hallway; everything is once again encased in ice. As I walk through, there doesn't seem to be anything special about this quadrant – just red carpet, several doors that I already went through, and pedestals. I'm about to leave when my eyes catch sight of frozen glass doors that I just passed.

Something compels me to go back and open them. Before I know it, my hands are already forcing the door to open to the semicircular balcony, which gives a view of the back of the castle. The view is just more snow and ice, as expected; the storm is not as strong as before, but it's still relentless.

The hinges cringe from opening after so long, and ice breaks away as I push the on the doors. I thought that it was nighttime, but it proves to simply be the weather. The wind hits my face with the force of a rock, forcing me to close my eyes and to cover my face with my arms.

_"Prince Hajime! What are you doing up in the middle of the night?"_

The voice directs my attention to the spot in front of me. I see the translucent silhouette of a girl wearing a simple white dress standing before me. Her face is indistinguishable, as if something is blocking me from seeing it. I subconsciously lower my defenses against the wind.

_"I'm just here to get some fresh air, 'tis all."_

It seems as though there is a conversation going on, though the other end is missing, and her tone – there seems to be something else hiding under the excuse.

I walk closer to where the figure seems to be standing, hoping that I might be able to see what her face looks like as she carries on her one-sided conversation.

"I apologize for the rudeness Your Highness. I just... I just don't know how to express my gratitude towards the royal family. The past week that I have been here, you have all treated me as if I'm a part of the family, especially you, Prince Dazzle, and Prince Kazuki, but... it makes me feel like I'm only a burden."

I frown upon hearing more names. If I remember correctly, they're Almia's Princes of old. Then, doesn't that mean that what I've been hearing so far dates back to one thousand years ago? Though it sounds absurd, it does go along with all the royal terms that I have been hearing.

_"Then let me become a servant to the palace."_

My mind reels back to attention upon hearing the request, bewildered by what I just heard. I see that she is facing me, as if asking me if she could. What the hell is going on here?

The conversation continues, but my mind is too fixated on what exactly is wrong with me. Maybe I have schizophrenia, since I'm the only one that's hearing these voices. But it's only the auditory hallucinations that I'm experiencing, so it's not a solid deduction... yet.

My attention is brought back once more when a giggle escapes the transparent figure in front of me.

_"I would not call it that if it is of my own will. There is no better freedom than to make my own decisions, Prince Hajime."_

She then twirls in a circle. _"Besides, I always dreamed of living in a castle."_

My eyes widen as her face becomes clear as she freely spins.

Her bright smile, those energetic blue eyes… "Kate?" I say aloud, reaching a hand for her, but she disappears before I can even touch her.

I just stare at the empty spot in front of me, my arm still outstretched as if frozen. My eyes dilate and waver upon her disappearance from my grasp.

Was that a ghost? Kate's ghost? Doesn't that mean… she's gone?

An unsettling feeling sinks into the pit of my stomach, but I shake it away, shake all those doubts away. She's still out there somewhere, I just know it. I've never really relied on my hunches this much before; I usually base everything on facts and evidence. But this is something that I can't apply that to. I just can't.

Pachirisu looks at me with concern written all over his face. I must have been standing here for a while now. I assure him that I'm just fine before suggesting that we continue our search.

I have been to the dungeons, the gallery, the storage room, the pantry... There seems to be no end to this. There are just so many rooms to search that it seems endless. At some point, I start to feel hot from all the exercise, despite the coldness of the castle.

For some reason, I'm looking for one specific area in particular, even though I don't know what or where it is. It's just a tugging feeling that whatever I'm looking for will help me with my problem.

_"Dazzle, what are you doing with that Vulpix?"_

A voice stops me in my tracks when I am about to turn a corner. There stand three figures, one confronting two.

_"Ehehe… Secret's out so fast, huh? I'm just trying to help this little buddy here, since I found it injured near the front gates."_

_A chuckle follows. "Then let us help too."_

_"Okay then, follow me!"_

I hear running footsteps echoing away from me and I try my best to follow them. I climb a flight of stairs and travel across a bridge that connects to another tower, but stop abruptly when I'm faced with a large chasm. It looks like the floor has crumbled away due to time. In some places it had bee replaced by a thick layer of ice, though... I do not know how it was formed... Maybe it was created by ice-type Pokémon so that they can traverse through this area.

I head for the edge, checking to see if it is solid enough to hold my weight. I see Pachirisu tapping the ice with his foot, and then he puts his whole body on it.

"Pachirisu, be care-"

Without warning, my Pokémon partner slips and falls flat on his stomach, then starts to slide away from my side. I quickly step onto the ice, trying to keep my partner from sliding too far away, or off of the edge of the ice.

I sigh in relief when I catch up and grab him into my arms, but then I hear a crack and look up. My eyes widen in horror as a large icicle falls from where it was hanging and lands right in front of me. Before I know it, the entire floor of ice shatters under my feet, sending me to the level below me.

My heart catches in my throat as gravity takes full control over my direction, along with the shattered ice shards and icicle. I can't see anything that will help me in this situation, seeing how I began falling in the center of the room.

I squeeze my eyes tightly shut, bringing Pachirisu close to me and bracing for the impact of the fall; however, it never comes. Just as the falling sensation and dread builds to a peak, it stops. Rushing wind, everything.

I feel all motion stop around us, our bodies included. I dare to pry one eye open to see that is going on, only to see that Pachirisu and I are being suspended in midair along with a few ice shards. Our bodies are outlined in a sky blue hue as we levitate slowly to the ground. I look to my left and right, trying to find the user of the Psychic.

What I see are two glowing red eyes staring back at me, outlined in blue as well. Once my feet touch the ground, the move releases its hold on our bodies, but I can't take my eyes off of the creature hiding in the shadows in front of me.

A fur coat of the purest white, like snow, covers the Pokémon, and nine tails trail behind the creature, each of the tips fading into midnight blue, as if they were all dipped in paint. Red eyes show the wisdom of passing time, though there is still beauty in those ruby orbs.

"Niiineee." The snow-white Ninetales yawns after coming out of her hiding spot and now sits in front of me. She then looks at me with soft eyes... of recognition?

Somehow, I'm seeing a golden Vulpix staring back at me in place of the higher evolution. The image shrinks back and disappears into the Pokémon sitting before me.

"Vul...pix?" I say absentmindedly, though I have no idea why it just came out of my mouth.

Upon hearing that, the Ninetales smiles tenderly and nods her head. I'm confused that she responded to me addressing her as a Vulpix. Then it hits me.

I look down at the Ninetales, who returns my gaze with a patient look, as if waiting for me to realize something – which I do.

Is she the Vulpix that I heard about just a few minutes ago? But I also heard the name 'Dazzle', meaning that it must have been one of the princes, meaning that it happened a millennium ago.

There is no way that- actually... I do remember a myth about Ninetales living up to 1,000 years due to the energy within their tails.

If that's true... then-

_"Your deductions are on point, as always."_

The Pokémon's telepathy catches me off guard as I look, startled, at her. "Did you just..."

_"Telepathy,"_ she finishes for me. _"It's been too long since I contacted humans using this method. The last I recall, I used this to ward off intruders, but that was... Hm, I believe that was about a century ago. I rarely have visitors nowadays."_

Pachirisu and I just stare at her in silent astonishment. Her voice sounds wise, just as her eyes depicted earlier, yet it doesn't sound too old. It's like hearing a mature adult talk as formally as possible.

The Ninetales tilts her head to the side lightly and then suddenly bows her head.

_"My apologizes, I have not introduced myself, have I? I am Ninetales, as you already noticed. I have been a protector of this castle ever since I was a Vulpix."_

It takes me a while, but I eventually respond to her introductions.

"Err... right. My name's Kellyn Hajime, and this is my partner, Pachirisu."

"Chupa!" My Pokémon greets cheerfully, sensing no threat from Ninetales.

_"Hajime?"_ she muses with a wistful smile. _"It's been near a millennium since I have heard that name..."_

"The prince?" I ask. "It's a really strange coincidence... to have the name of one of Almia's princes as my last name." It's also weird how I already accepted that the Pokémon in front of me has lived almost a millennium already – probably because weird became the new normal after hearing too many of those voices.

Ninetales's gaze analyzes me before letting out a knowing giggle._ "'Tis far from being a coincidence."_

I knit my brows together in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

She shakes her head and stands on her paws, turning around and gesturing for me to follow._ "You'll see. Now come, I believe I can assist you with something."_

Pachirisu and I exchange doubtful glances and follow the Fox Pokémon into the hallways. The reticence continues as we walk on; only the echoes of footsteps and the howling wind outside could be heard.

We come back to the room where the large block of ice still stands in our path.

_"It is strange... in all the years that I have lived here, I do not remember this blocking the path to the throne room."_

"Then... someone must have placed it here intentionally," I theorize.

_"Perhaps. Maybe I have let my guards down too much these past days... or maybe I am becoming senile,"_ Ninetales muses before requesting us to step back. We do as we're told and see her use a Fire Blast on the ice, melting it down to steam and water in no time flat.

_"Come, I wish to see who has the nerve to trespass onto royal property."_

"... Aren't I trespassing as well?" I ask, pointing the little fact out to the Fox Pokémon.

The Ninetales stops and looks over to me. _'"O, you're not trespassing on this ground. If I may say, you're always welcome to come back here."_

Her words baffle me again. If I'm not trespassing at all, does she mean to say that I actually lived here once? That seems to be impossible, though. This place doesn't look that comfortable to live in, seeing how it's so... icy.

We continue, making left turns, then right turns, up a few flights of spiraling stairs and then down some.

At some point, the Fox Pokémon's fur begins to stand on end, signaling that something has agitated her. With a another bark to increase our pace, we run further ahead until we arrive in another room. What is most noticeable is that there are two sets of stairs on either side, near the corners. Both of them curve inward as they go up to the next level, leaving a pathway to the door right in front of me.

On the other side, I can hear clashes and collisions. There must be a fight inside.

_"Preposterous!"_ Ninetales growls, her eyes glowing blue. The double doors glow as well, then swing open at full force. _"How dare they try to steal the gem!"_

She charges through the open door at full speed. I hesitate before following, not understanding what had just happened.

Coming into my line of vision, I see two Riolu fending off a Froslass and a person with unruly, spiky, ice-blue hair. His attire is entirely blue, except for his gray shoes, the white designs of his overcoat, and his white scarf.

The two Riolu dodge left and right while trying to land a punch on the ghost- and ice-type Pokémon, but they're failing miserably. It's a bad enough match as-is, since fighting-type doesn't affect ghost-types, but they don't give up. They seem to be preventing their opponent from advancing any further than they already have.

Jut as the two Riolu's legs are ensnared in ice and Froslass is preparing a final blow, Ninetales step in.

_"ENOUGH!"_ She roars, catching the Froslass by surprise and snuffing out her charged-up Ice Beam with a dose of Flamethrower. The man stands still, shock replacing his calm demeanor for a split second before he hides it.

"Telepathy, intriguing," he muses with a smirk. "Rare to see a Pokémon do that. A shiny Ninetales, at that."

_"Who are you and what are you doing here?"_ Ninetales demands with the utmost hostility. _"No one is allowed near this place unless I sanction it."_

The man seems to be analyzing us before giving an answer. If I'm right, then he's the observational type, preferring to survey the situation and think before giving the proper response.

"I am Ice," he answers with a bow. "And as for what I'm doing here... You see, I invited myself here. I don't think I would need to ask a Pokémon for permission to enter an _abandoned_ castle."

_"It was not abandoned in the first place!"_ Ninetales snarls back vitriolically, completely opposite of her gentle and polite demeanor she exuded a while ago. Purple flames start to light up one by one, appearing out of nowhere, and circling the Fox Pokémon as she bares her teeth._ "Leave now, or else."_

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Ice replies casually with a flick of his hair, and then gestures towards a blue veil that is apparently acting as a wall. "There's something I would like to retrieve from this area, and I'll be needing those two Riolu's help."

With a snap of his fingers, Froslass is once again mobilizing and in process of summoning a Blizzard.

Ninetales acts fast and places me and Pachirisu under a Protect, but the disquiet in her eyes tells me that something is wrong. There is a horrid wail that I can hear over the wind, and I know that Ninetales wasn't able to help the two Riolu. Once the storm blows over, snow layers the icy floor. I'm surprised there was no attempt to ambush me or Ninetales.

I look around, only to realize that the attack was aimed at the Emanation Pokémon. They are now encased in blocks of ice, both holding an expression of shock and horror.

The blue translucent wall flickers momentarily, as if running out of energy.

"Just as I thought," Ice surmises. "Those two are the ones in control of that shield. It's made of entirely of Aura. So, if something happens to the two's life force, the shield will weaken. So if I just get rid of the two..."

Ninetales is absolutely smoldering at Ice. _"I will not let you harm these two protectors!"_ she declares, stepping in between the Snow Land Pokémon and the two frozen Emanation Pokémon.

"Hm..." Ice hums causally. "Normally I wouldn't mind the bad match-up, but since I don't plan on returning empty-handed..."

He brings his hands up, a little above his right shoulder, and claps. Out of nowhere a Garchomp comes bulldozing into the field through the walls. "Garchomp, I'll let you deal with the Ninetales. Froslass, bring the two Riolu over with Psychic."

At that, I order Pachirisu to perform a Discharge. It may not affect the Mach Pokémon as he and Ninetales fight, but it breaks the concentration of the Froslass. I lift my arm in front of me, the Fine Styler facing away from me as I glare at Ice and his Pokémon. The look in those Pokémon's eyes tells me they're under some sort of hypnotism. Even if he didn't proclaim it, I can infer that Ice is from Team Dim Sum, and probably holds a high position.

I voice out my conclusion, earning a conceited smirk from the blue-haired man.

"A very reasonable deduction." He flicks his hair again, and his tone is dripping with so much arrogance that it could probably fill a swimming pool. "And here I thought that I was facing a _noob_ Ranger with a pipsqueak of a Pachirisu and a medieval-accented Ninetales."

I narrow my eyes at him in surveillance and hostility. He was probably using that to gauge my anger at the insults – it certainly does something to Pachirisu, since his cheek pouches are discharging sparks. Those prone to anger are easy to defeat, and he's seeing if I'm one of them.

I simply reply by extending my arm horizontally, locking onto Froslass before firing the capture disc out. "Capture on!"

Ice's smirk falters slightly, though he replaces it with an amused chuckle. "Levelheaded. I see someone with a brain has finally showed up."

...I'm going to take that as a compliment.

"Froslass, use Ice Beam and freeze that disc before it gets to you," Ice commands smoothly.

"Pachirisu, Spark!"

I make intricate hand movements to guide the disc around the colliding attacks and circle it around Froslass. She uses Icy Wind, rendering me momentarily blind and causing me to loose my footing and my focus. That's enough for the Snow Land Pokémon to escape from the loop.

I try again, but this time, she simply fades to another location, and another, and another.

...I hate ghost types, but if I'm able to herd her to the right spot...

Ice narrows his eyes in suspicion, but before he can connect the dots, I've already succeeded.

"Pachirisu, now!" I signal to my Pokémon partner, who immediately releases a Thunder Wave. Froslass is now immobilized for the time being, letting me circle the disc without much resistance from the former.

"... Blizzard," Ice commands with a namesake tone. In the first instance where the Snow Land Pokémon is able to twitch a muscle, she summons a sudden storm, taking away my sight and focus once more.

The indoor blizzard took two of my senses, leaving me vulnerable and lost. How am I supposed to find and defend against a Froslass in this situation?

_Close your eyes._

I circle around in an attempt to find where that voice came from, but I'm met with more snow. Is it just in my head?

_Close your eyes, and I'll lend you the power to save the two little ones,_ the voice repeats. Since I can't see in this weather, I might as well try it.

I close my eyes and feel a pulse. I'm immediately flooded with a surge of energy from an external force, but it doesn't feel too foreign. As soon as it reaches me, my head starts to spin with the amount of images interposing themselves on my mind.

There was a castle, three boys practicing with swords while two adults looked over them.

The day they left the castle to explore medieval-styled streets, and people crowding around all of them, praising them about something.

They met a girl with chestnut-brown hair and blue eyes, who looks bruised, badly hurt, and in need of treatment.

The days then flash back into the castle where three boys teach the girl they saved all kinds of things, ranging from reading to combat. They look like they were having fun, all of them talking as the girl serves tea and such.

A Vulpix in the arms of one of the boys, and then another image showing a Riolu training with the boys.

Then those images are lit up by fire, as if they're only photos. They are replaced by a forest fire, then rain, and the hostility that the three boys showed for each other.

They grew apart from each other, and the girl is missing from the picture. The mother of the three boys died, and the father is left to grieve even more than he have. The other two boys left the castle, leaving the one that I only now see distinctly resembles me to stay in the castle along with Vulpix and Riolu.

Everything after that becomes more and more blurry with a dark accent to it. All that is clear is a Vulpix, a Lucario, and a beautiful, large blue gem in the shape of a teardrop.

All of this only lasts a few seconds, then I see only complete darkness. I'm about to open my eyes when everything is suddenly outlined by a field of blue. From what I can understand, the blue that outlines the living beings is brighter than that of the surroundings, which I can distinguish as statues and furniture.

Is this... Aura Sight?

_Correct,_ The deep voice echos in my mind. _Use it well, Master._

I'll question this later, because Froslass is making a move on the two frozen Riolu. Using this new sense, I direct my disc towards Froslass and in the fastest way possible, create a solid loop that blends into the snow.

"Capture complete," I say as the storm stops and Froslass blinks back into consciousness. Ice looks stunned after my capture, but he masks it quickly.

"Impressive," he quips. "I would expect no less of a Top Ranger."

My arm moves on its own, extending horizontally with my palm face up. A blue sphere forms and rests right on top of my palm.

"Leave this place or else." My voice sounds as though it's mixed with the one in my head. It's like I'm being controlled, but I still retain my consciousness. Ice's expression is unfathomable for awhile as Froslass runs off.

"Heh," he smirks again. "This will prove to be interesting in the future."

He calls Garchomp back to his side, who has a few burn marks front the fight, and climbs onto his back. "Next time, I won't take defeat so causally. I have a reputation to uphold as the leader of the Sinis Trio, after all."

With that, Garchomp speeds off through the hole he made, and that is the end of that.

I feel a pull and something comes out of my body. It's the same light that I saw earlier, and it slowly takes the form of a Lucario.

_"I see you couldn't wait any longer,"_ Ninetales remarks, now with two Riolu at either side of her. She seems to be sizing me up, and a few moments pass before she nods in approval. The ghost of the Lucario nods at Ninetales' statement and gestures at the two Emanation Pokémon.

They comply with the unheard order with a chirp, each flipping to the other side of the room and touching the blue shield with their palms. In the next moment, the barrier disappears and something drops down from out of nowhere.

The two Riolu go to Lucario's side, and all three of them kneel down in respect, as a knight would to a member of royalty.

We have been waiting for your return, Master.

It takes me a moment to process what is going on but in the end, I still have to do a double take.

"...What?"

_"Don't you understand?"_ Ninetales comes in._ "Kellyn... Prince Hajime... Lucario and I have been waiting for centuries for your return."_

My brows are knitted together in confusion.

"What are you talking about? I'm no prince, and why would you think that I'm Prince Hajime? Isn't he already dead? Why would I be someone who died a millennium ago?"

What the hell is going on here?

_"I suppose it is a little bit too much to take in,"_ Ninetales responds.

...Isn't that the understatement of the century?

_"...But you are the reincarnation of Prince Hajime of Almia. And the proof of that is Lucario's recognition of your aura and guiding of you here. Have not you been hearing the voices of the castle? Have you not experienced any slightest familiarity with the castle itself? I'm sure that Lucario unlocked some of your old memories when he entered your mind."_

All of this is just too much. My legs fails to support me and I plummet into the snow, holding onto my head. That can't be... I wasn't even born in Almia in the first place, how am I the prince? A reincarnation? I didn't think such things could be proven, since no one really knows their past lives and therefore, there isn't any documented evidence. It just sounds impossible...

But what else could explain the familiar voices? Now that I think about it, they did sound like Keith, Lunick, and Kate for some reason. All the memories that were unknown to me before start to become more tenacious than before, more vivid. It just feels... real.

My head starts to hurt from all of this information and possibilities.

Master, the Lucario ghost calls, bringing down the tear-shaped gem in his paws and handing it down to me. I look at it blankly, unable to process what he is trying to do. Take the Blue Gem, for it is no longer safe in this castle.

I feel the pull again, the same feeling that I felt in the Union, but there is no pain accompanying it. When my hands touch the sapphire gem, a pure warmth spreads through my body and gives me a comfortable feeling that eases my headache.

Accept, is what it seems to be telling me. But how am I supposed to accept... all this? Being the reincarnation of a prince from a thousand years ago? That all these things I've been seeing and hearing are somehow my memories?

But even as I think this, as I try to reason through it all, I know that it's true. Somehow. Just like I know Kate's not dead. I still don't know how it's possible, and not all of the memories are clear, but even the hazy ones bring with them a feeling of familiarity and calm.

Something's happening, something that I'm involved in, something that isn't quite clear to me yet.

But I accept that, and I accept the memories, the heirloom, the castle, and the Pokémon, with no lingering regret or qualm.

...

"Are you sure you want to stay here?" I ask, concerned. Ninetales nods her head, speaking for the two Riolu by her side as well.

_"This is our home, and we'll keep watch over this place until you return again,"_ Ninetales replies with a gentle smile._ "And now that Lucario has completed his duty, I am more at ease than I have been for centuries."_

Lucario simply faded away after passing me the Blue Gem, but I don't know where he went. Is he finally at rest?

Things are still a little difficult to understand, but it will all be deciphered sooner or later.

I crouch down to their level and pet each of them, smiling reassuringly.

"I'll come back, for sure."

Pachirisu and I bid them goodbye at the castle entrance, then we make our way down to the water. Empoleon is still there, waiting patiently for us to return.

* * *

Keith's POV

I look out the window of the wooden cabin that Pamur and I took shelter in. It's been a while since we got here, and we lost Kellyn on the way here. I want to head back out to look for him, but the storm is just too much.

Another reason for me to hate the cold.

I listen to Ms. Winter talk about an old folktale of Almia, but it isn't much. From what I have learned, what we're searching for are the Tears of the Princes, one of which is located in Almia Castle.

I tap my hand on the windowsill impatiently, wishing the storm would just disappear already. Knowing Kellyn, he probably knows how to survive the harsh blizzard, but the knowledge doesn't quell my anxiety.

From where I'm looking, I have a feeling that that is where Almia Castle is located. Call it a hunch, but something is happening inside of it right now. Part of me wants to go, but the other part wants me to stay. Something inside of me seems to forbid me from doing anything when I think of heading towards the castle, but why?

Once I see that the storm is letting up, I bolt out the door, telling the other two that I'm heading out. But I only get a few meters from the cabin before I see two figures on the horizon. I squint, trying to distinguish the identity of each one, and then my eyes widen upon recognition.

"Hey! You're alive!" I holler, waving my arm back and forth. I wait until Kellyn, with Pachirisu on his shoulder and an Empoleon by his side, reaches me.

"You thought I was dead?" Kellyn asks with his arms folded.

"No..." I reply sheepishly. "But what happened to you, and why is there an Empoleon with you?"

Kellyn seems to study me for a moment before answering.

"This guy offered to take me to Almia Castle," he replies, motioning towards the Empoleon. "I met one of the upper Team Dim Sun members and retrieved the Blue Gem before he could lay a hand on it."

"...You what?" I ask blankly as he shows me an abnormally large sapphire in the shape of a teardrop.

"You heard me," Kellyn deadpans as he begins walking towards the cabin.

"You mean I was stuck in a cabin while you got all the fun?!" I explode. "That's totally NOT FAIR!"

"Basically," he answers, causing me to trip and fall face-first into the snow.

Pulling myself back out of the icy fluff, I glare at him and then at the gem. It's emitting a warm glow... Like Murph's pendant, but stronger.

Nostalgic, that's all I can describe the warmth as.

* * *

**You can probably guess that one of the scenes in this chap is familiar, cuz it's from the last one. Yeah... not very original of me, but none of my works are really original so... =D**

**Kellyn gained some memories back but not all of them, met with Ninetales, Lucario, and Riolu, and got the blue gem.**

**Kate's nowhere to be found as of yet.**

**Keith has been stuck in a cabin drinking hot coco while his partner in crime gets all the adventures.**

**That's about it. Again, updates are sporadic and I will apologize ahead of time to those who are waiting for the next update.**

**Next chapter... hm... which one do you think will be next? The desert or the volcano... or maybe...? And who will be the star?**


	28. Chapter 28 - Volcano's Protectors

Chapter 28

**Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter!**

**Reviews:**

_**B2KatxCurtis - Thank you for liking this story so far. I hope you'll continue until it finishes ^^**_

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_**RosesOfTruth - I guess I'm not that hard to figure out huh? Your assumption is right XD**_

_**caird56 - Lol. Hot Coco sounds good 'bout now but... it's summer. Too hot...**_

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**I don't have much to saw but thanks for reviewing! And I got over 100 reviews! Don't know about you gys but I'm pretty happy about it :D**

**But now, onto the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

Keith's POV

The next day, I watch as Kellyn does the honor of placing the Blue Gem that he was able to retrieve from Almia Castle – without me – on the pedestal in front of the large tree that grows on the highest floor of the Ranger Union. How something that big is alive on an urban building is beyond my comprehension.

Immediately, the gem levitates about an inch from the stone platform and radiates a warm blue light. It isn't enough to blind us like the pendant Murph has – thankfully. It's as if it's showing us some consideration or something, because there is no way Murph's little rock could outshine this big guy.

I then glance over to Murph, who is reading data streaming in about the reaction from the dark crystal, sitting a meter or two away from the Blue Gem.

"Professor!" he suddenly exclaims, looking over to the old man. "There are signs of the shard's energy decreasing!"

"Excellent!" Prof. Hastings cheers. "I had a hunch after seeing the result from Murph's pendant!"

He then looks at the radiating teardrop. "So this gem has the power to nullify whatever energy the dark shard emits."

Energy? I take a closer look at the shard. It sure does emit something... ominous.

"Professor!" I hear Rhythmi's urgent voice coming as she rushes up the escalator, out of breath. "We have information that the Pokémon being controlled in Vien Forest have been freed from their hypnotism!"

She then presses into the ear communication device that she is wearing. "...Wait, Pueltown as well! The Pokémon are returning to their homes and are no longer causing any problems for the citizens!"

I blink. The teardrop can do that?

I look over to see surprise written all over Lunick and Solana's faces, but Kellyn doesn't seem surprised; he only seems to be in deep thought while his gaze stays on the Blue Gem. Is there something wrong?

Hurried footsteps are heard on the escalator again and Linda pops out, breathless. I swear, Operators need to get off of their chairs and start exercising. The escalator isn't that long!

"Prof. Hasting, Chairperson Erma, we have trouble!" Linda announces. "There are still Pokémon in Vien Forest under hypnosis! ...Wait, I'm getting more information through my earphone... Oh no! The Pueltown Pokémon have gone back to their hypnotized state!"

"Ah!" Murphy exclaims again, looking over to the two people in charge of the Union. "The meter isn't going all the way down to zero! A third, maybe, but not even close to the bottom."

"The Blue Gem alone isn't enough," Kellyn speaks up, gaining all of our attention. "Its power alone can only temporarily restore Pokémon's self identity, and its radius is too small and still decreasing."

I raise a brow. "How do you know all of that?"

Before he can answer, a blinding golden light engulfs the room in its radiance with the same strength that Murph's pendant had a while ago. It is then immediately followed by a blazing red light.

All I can say is that they're way brighter than the blue one.

"Linda, Rhythmi, Murph, stand closer to the dark shard!" the professor orders, having apparently realized something. As the three gather around, something in their chest glows even brighter, and I can see the shard resonating with the glows, turning completely crystal-clear.

"Do you two have something like a pendant of any sort?" the professor queries.

Rhythmi lolls her head to the side. "Pendant...? You mean..." She reaches under her shirt and takes out a pendant with a yellow stone embedded in it. "The souvenir that Sven gave me when he got back from the Haruba Desert?"

Her cheeks then starts to turn pink... I don't think I'll like what I'll hear next.

"W-what?!" Linda interjects my thoughts, holding a red pendant in her hands. "Sven gave me a pendant as well! It's from Boyleland!"

"Huh?!" Rhythmi promptly glares at the blunette. "Are you implying something here? The one Sven gave me is prettier!"

"The one Sven gave me is bigger!"

...Then they start to argue over the quality and size of their pendants and which is better. They're getting on my nerves, fighting over something as stupid as a pendant that Sven gave them. I wouldn't mind seeing a cat fight but... not over something like this. I have half a mind to throw something at them.

"Why are they even – gah!" A abrupt pain tug at my heart sends me plummeting down to my knees, my hand going up to clutch my chest, where my rib cage encases my heart.

"Tch..." I look over at the others through my pain to see that Lunick is in the same state as I am.

"You two...!" Kellyn looks like he just realized something.

I can't think straight with a throbbing head. The red light seems to be taking over my vision, and I can hear a distant-yet-familiar voice trying to reach me. But no matter how much I try, I can't identify who it belongs to.

The pain only subsides when Kellyn stops the two girls from arguing and prys all three of them away from the now-crystal-clear shard.

By the end of it, beads of sweat are trailing down my face as I gasp for breath. It feels like my lungs had stopped working in the moment that my head was throbbing.

"Lun, Keith, are you two okay?" Solana queries, worried.

"Fine," we both answer.

I push myself up, but I feel numb for a second and almost lose my balance.

"Boyleland and Haruba Desert, huh..." Prof. Hasting muses. "We'll have to investigate those two regions as well."

Despite the fact that I would really like to go to the desert, something tells me to go with the first option.

"Dibs on the volcano."

"I'll go to Haruba Desert," Lunick says at the same time. We both exchange looks with each other, wondering how it had just worked out like that.

"Are you two sure about that?" Solana asks, furrowing her brows. "You look as pale as Kellyn was before."

"We're fine," Lunick responds, pushing himself from her support. "See?"

"Well, seeing how Kellyn was successful with his mission, I have no doubt about you two as well," Professor Hasting comments, then turns to the aforementioned Ranger. "Since we have those two areas covered, I'll need you to go on patrol and deal with the sudden appearance of those hypnotized Pokémon."

"But..." Kellyn seems hesitant. He probably wants to tag along with one of us, but there is no way I'm going to let him have all the fun this time.

"Stay here, Kellyn," Lunick says. "You need to take it easy after going to that freezing castle."

"... It wasn't that cold."

"You get what I mean."

"Fine..."

"Aw, looks like someone's miffed," I taunt. I grin when Kellyn gives me a glare.

* * *

Lunick's POV

"I'm going with you."

I spin around to meet Solana's eyes, the determination in them matching mine. "Sol, I don't want-"

"I can protect myself, thank you very much," she huffs indignantly. "Besides, I'm your partner. We're supposed to do missions together and have each other's backs."

"But it might be dangerous." I don't know why, but I have this uneasy feeling that if I bring Solana along, she'll get into trouble. And that's something I don't want to risk.

It's funny, really. It's always Solana who worries for my safety and not the other way around, but now the roles are reversed.

Haruba Desert... there's something about it that pulls me in. Just as Kellyn was eager to go to the Hia Valley, I won't let anyone stop me, nor do I want to put anyone in danger if they tag along. I do wonder though... what happened in Almia Castle? Kellyn seems different somehow... but I just can't pinpoint what the difference is.

"I've been in dangerous situations. And so have you," Solana argues. "And both of us took down the Go-Rock Squad together. Do you really think exploring a desert is any different?"

I'm about to argue back when she stops me with a glare.

"I'm going with you no matter what you say, got it?" She pouts. "I need to make sure you don't get into trouble yourself. Most likely, you'll fall into a sand pit if I'm not there to scold at you for not watching where you're going."

I laugh sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head. She really is stubborn when she wants to be. And I can never argue back when she gets like that. But does she really have to say that? It's not like I won't pay attention to my surroundings... most of the time.

I sigh and reach to place my hand on her head. "Just... just stay by my side. Promise?"

Solana blinks before some kind of sentimentality traverses her eyes. "Promise." She smiles.

* * *

Keith's POV

"Thanks Staraptor!"

"Bui!" Both Buizel and I wave at the circling flying-type, who caws his name before flying back to where he came from.

I then turn around, facing the island and the large, dormant volcano – which hopefully stays sleeping. "Now then, le-"

My mind suddenly blinks out on me, causing me to freeze in my steps. All the thoughts that occupied my brain a moment ago are replaced by voices.

_"You're going to blame it on us now? Isn't it your fault for not keeping an eye on Katherine?! It's always you that seems to know where she is all the time!"_

_"I only kept tabs on her because she didn't have anybody to protect her, like father sending guards and Pokémon wherever we go!"_

_"G-guys... we shouldn't-"_

_"DON'T TRY TO STAY OUT OF THIS BY BEING PEACEMAKER!"_

_..._

_"Enough of this! I will not tolerate dispute among my family! Since you three will not cease this endless quarrel of yours, I have been forced to separate you!"_

_"What do you mean by that, father?"_

_"As of now, you, Kazuki, will spend your life watching over the desert region of Almia. You, Dazzle, will be sent to the volcano region of Almia. And you, Hajime, will stay with me to watch over the Castle. "_

_"What?!"_

_"But father-"_

_"You can't-"_

_"This order is absolute!"_

"Ugh..." I groan, feeling a wave of a headache flooding in.

Just... just what the heck was that? Who were those people? And why the hell did they sound like Lunick and Kellyn?

"Buziel?"

I look down at my partner Pokémon, worry written all over his face. I must have zoned out for a bit there. I manage a smile to assure to my Pokémon partner that I'm perfectly fine.

"C'mon Buizel, let's check what's in the volcano." I gesture for the water-type Pokémon to follow me as I make my way through the village on the island.

...

"H-hey wait!" I call after the old man. I don't know why, but he got upset at me when I didn't do anything at all. Absolutely nothing! I just approached him, asking if there was any way into the volcano, since the gate to it is locked. But when he saw me, he went on a rant and accused me of being a villain! Just, what the hell?!

"I told you! I'm not a bad guy!"

"Grandfather!" A lady comes out of one of the many huts on Boyleland. "You did it again!"

I stop, blinking. "Again?"

"That man over there is not associated with Team Dim Sun! Just look at his uniform carefully!"

"Oh?" The old man turns around and squints at me, then he smiles. "Oh! I am so sorry! I really do need glasses. Everyone in uniform seems to be part of that no-good organization to me."

...He's off his rocker.

"I'm so sorry, on behalf of my grandfather," the lady apologizes. "It'ss happened before, with another Ranger. But I didn't think he would make that mistake a second time."

"...Y'know, you should really get him some glasses."

...

After finally finding the key to Boyleland's volcano – which took at least an hour, and it was just under a pile of newspapers! – I got in. And boy, is it hot in here. I should have packed more water before coming in, but seeing how far I have gotten, I really don't want to go all the way back.

I'm riding on a Torkoal to get further into the volcano, and I have to be careful. Lava is literally right below my feet, and one touch will have me turning into charcoal.

"Bui..." Buizel says worriedly, lying on top of my head.

I look up at him and grin. "Don't worry, we'll be back on ground soon... I hope."

Seeing how we're in what seems like an endless river of lava, I think we're lost. There doesn't seem to be any sight of solid ground anywhere, except for high cliffs that lead to the next level of the volcano, which would require me to climb. I don't really want to take that chance of taking a dip in hot lava.

I don't feel like being cooked extra-crispy right now.

"Hey Torkoal," I look at the back of the fire-type Pokémon's bald head, "are we anywhere near ground?"

"Torkoal tor," comes his reply, which I am not able to understand. But from the shake of his head, I can pretty much fathom that it's a no.

"Do you... know where we're going, at least?"

...

"Damn it." I grit my teeth as I grab at another rock and make sure it is tightly secured in its spot before pulling myself up even more. I can't believe that I had to do this in the end.

Why didn't I just climb the cliff when I was on solid ground?

I look down into the river of lava, seeing the Coal Pokémon looking up at me. That guy just stopped in the spot he is currently swimming in and gestured for me to climb. I told him after the capture to take me to the other end of the lava stream, but then he just stops in the middle of nowhere and tells me to go up?

I bet that Torkoal didn't even know where he was going... which is weird. Shouldn't a Pokémon that lives in a volcano know its layout? At least enough to get around?

I push that to the back of my mind for the moment as I focus my attention back on the climb up. I reach up to grab a safe rock to hang on to before taking one foot and securing its perch on the cliff to push myself up.

I have been at this for several minutes already, and the heat is really taking its toll on me. It's making me drain more energy than I would usually, which isn't good.

I make another reach, but my footing slips, causing me to almost fall. I don't want to think about what would've happened if my hand hadn't made a quick grab onto a protruding rock.

"Buizel..." My Pokémon partner trembles in fear as he tightens his hold around my neck. I can't blame him; we're in a life-threatening situation here. One wrong move and we could be cinders!

"Don't worry, I'll get us up," I assure him, then continue my ascension.

It takes a couple of more minutes to finally get to the top, which is – thankfully – more solid ground than I was on before. I look down, now seeing that there wasn't a point in going across the lava flow, since there is a lava waterfall in lieu of an actual path to walk on.

...Kind of glad Torkoal told me to climb now.

"Thanks Torkoal!"

"Tor! Torkoal!" The Pokémon directs his head to my left and I follow its gaze to see some kind of opening heading out of the volcano. Finally, I'll get fresh sea air!

I thank him again before Buizel and I make a beeline for the exit. I can already feel the breeze hitting me.

_"So this is the volcano region, huh? It sure is a sudden change from the cool weather at Almia Castle."_

_"...but I like it here."_

What the... the voice suddenly appears when I exit out through the opening. And I almost see a ghost of a grin. Almost.

"Almia... Castle?" I mumble absentmindedly. That was my voice. But I don't remember saying that stuff at all. And cool weather? It was freezing at Hia Valley! Kellyn mentioned the castle being completely covered in ice – who in their right mind would live there?

I scratch my head in confusion and furrow my brows. Exactly what is happening to me right now?

"Bui!"

I snap my head to where Buizel is, finding him near of pile of debris. From the looks of it, it's... the remnants of a building. A large one at that, seeing how far and wide the pile stretches. The apparent size of the building is strange, seeing as it was stationed on the side of a mountain. It looks like it collapsed from age, with only a few wooden pieces remaining standing where walls used to be.

Which leads me to a question: why was it built on the side of a volcano?

I step through the burnt wood and look around.

For a split second, I think my eyes are deceiving me, because I see a picture of what it was like when the building was intact. It was a mansion from what I can gather, but... why? Why did I have that image?

I also have this weird feeling that I have been here before.

Every step I take within the perimeter feels like a nostalgic one, as if I can see a ghost of myself walking the very same spot a long time ago.

My foot bumps into something under the ashes, causing me to yell out in pain and massage my toe. I then bend down to uncover what it is that I unpleasantly hit against.

After dusting off the charcoal earth, the object is revealed to be a rusty sword.

_"These swords of ours are the symbols of our swordsmanship and of our brotherhood."_

_"Geez, can ya get any cheekier, Kazuki?"_

_"Oh, shut up Dazzle, why can't you be as mature as Hajime?"_

_"Why are you roping me into this argument?"_

_..._

_A chuckle. "I wonder how you guys are doing... I really miss our sword fights... Kazuki, Hajime."_

I blink, bringing my mind back into reality. There are those three names again. They sound vaguely familiar for some reason. Haven't I heard them from somewhere? Maybe if I had payed any attention, I would remember where I heard it from...

_"Sorry, what?"_

_"Were you even paying attention to what I was saying?"_

_"Uh... yes?"_

_"Then what was I talking about, Prince Dazzle?"_

_"Um... Hehehe... can I get back to you on that, Katherine?"_

_"...I can't believe you! Prince Hajime pays more attention than you, even when he is reading!"_

_"You can't really compare me to that bookworm, you know. And this is a little suspicious..."_

_"W-what?"_

_"That you always mention my little brother in everything? You spend the most time with him out of the three of us."_

That last comment... I could even see the teasing smirk on my face. Wait... it's not my face. It's someone else's. Why did I even... Hold it. Katherine? That sounds a lot like a longer version of Kate. And now that I think about it, isn't Kellyn's last name Hajime? ...And mine is Dazzle... And I think Lunick's last name is Kazuki, if I remember correctly.

Those voices... do they belong to the four of us? But that doesn't make any sense! We've never had conversations like that before, nor did we ever do sword fighting. And this Katherine girl was also addressing Hajime and Dazzle as princes. Kellyn and I aren't princes, either, so it doesn't add up.

It must be about four other people who, by coincidence, have names that are related to ours.

I pick the rusty sword from the ground and swing it. My body automatically goes through the motion of a few practiced swings. A thrust, then a slash, followed by one in the opposite direction.

_"You need to sharpen your movements. They're getting sloppy."_

_"That's 'cause I'm tired!"_

_"Then build up your stamina."_

_"You're a slave driver, you know that, Hajime? I'm not a workaholic like you."_

I blink. That is the third time within ten minutes, and I'm starting to get a headache.

I hear a hum coming from the direction of the volcano and turn around just in time to see a figure emerging from the entrance – a member of Team Dim Sun!

"Ack!" Both of us point at each other, and the woman backs away.

"I came out to get fresh air, not to meet a Ranger!" I hear her mutter before she makes a run for it.

"Hey! Stop!" I throw away the sword and chase her back into the volcano.

I don't keep track of how long I have been running, but I lose track of the woman through the twists and turns of the volcano. Tired, I slow down my pace so I can catch my breath, sweat dripping down from the run and the heat – mostly from the run. This inferno-like temperature is not making things easy, though it isn't that much of a bother – mind you, I was born and raised in Hoenn, known for its heatwaves – but try running in a volcano, it's not fun.

_"Woo! That horde of Magmar gave us quite the exercise, right Flareon?"_

_"Flare..."_

_"I wonder why the volcano is acting up... Maybe it has something to do with Heatran! ...Aw man, we're going to have to go through the lava geysers again."_

"Bui!" Buizel says before he sprays me with a blast of water, successfully cooling me off and snapping me out of my reverie.

'Thanks, I needed that." I shower my partner with gratitude before continuing onward. Lava geysers? We're going to have to watch for those if we're to be careful. I don't want to end up being barbecued alive.

After some more trekking and looking around... Frankly, I have no idea where we are.

"Just where are-" An orange blur tackles me to the ground all of a sudden, and then my ears catch the sound of rumbling.

"Flar!" The Flareon that tackled me to the ground scowls as a plume of lava bursts from the ground, burning through the crust of the earth that had once ensnared it.

"Hothothot!" I yelp and scurry away from the heat and the danger of having drops of lava landing on me. Buizel sprays me with water again – thank Arceus I have him with me. It sizzles as it falls to the ground, giving off steam.

I sigh in momentary relief before I hear the animosity that Flareon is giving me through its growls, which is followed by more.

I look around and realize that Buizel and I are surrounded by a pack of Flareon, all glaring and growling at us.

"Um... hi?" I greet uncertainly, chuckling nervously.

"Flare!" One of the Flareon snaps.

...Something tells me those Flareon do not want anyone getting any further – not that anyone should, unless they want to be cinder.

...What does that say about me?

"I promise, we come in peace," I say cautiously. "Right Buizel?"

The water-type nods, and says something to the pack of fire-types. Sometimes, I wish I could understand Pokémon-speak.

"Flareon!" The one at the center of the pack bellows, silencing everyone else, who seem to be arguing with Buizel. I'm guessing that one is the leader.

The Flareon makes its way to me and stares me in the eyes for a few seconds before taking in my scent. I barely notice the small red gem dangling out of its hiding place in the Flareon's golden fur.

"Flare."

"Hah?" I pipe, not understanding a word.

"Reon." It reaches out its right front paw, much to the complaints of its fellow Flareon.

I blink, staring at the paw. "You... want me to shake it?" I interpret slowly which earns me a confirmation nod.

"Right..." I have no idea what good that does, but if it means I don't have to capture all of them to calm them down, then it works for me. I lower myself to one knee and shake its paw.

_"Hi!"_

The pendant glows slightly, just enough to blind my eyes.

As if bells just rang right in my ear, my brain starts ringing, vibrating after hearing the high-pitched voice. I immediately release my grip and collapse to the ground. In that moment of time, I see three people and a castle. Then a fight, followed by a volcano and a mansion. The layout of the volcano and friendly fire-types, then the earth shaking. I see a Flareon running and meeting up with a Heatran, who looks in my direction.

"...You're a girl?" is the first thing I ask.

The Flareon nods. She then turns to the others and nods to them, causing them to settle down. They look at each other questioningly before separating and making a path for us.

Buizel and I tilt our heads in confusion as the alpha Flareon gestures for us to follow her.

...Right. Following a Pokémon through possible lava geyser eruptions. If you can't trust a Pokémon you just met who gave you a whopping headache, who can you trust?

I do the one thing that's sensible.

I follow her.

Well, at least I'm not alone in this.

...

Thanks to the Flareon guiding us, Buizel and I successfully make our way through the tunnel of erupting lava - there were a lot of lava geysers. She seems to know when each one would start up, judging by how precisely she guided me around them. She does live here, so that has something to do with the accuracy of the predictions, I guess.

"Flare!" The leading Flareon stops us from going any further than the exit of the tunnel. We're now faced with a narrow bridge made of rocks; it doesn't look too stable.

...Great.

Maybe the desert was the safer option.

Making a single file line, we traverse across the bridge. Flareon and Buizel go first, and I bring up the rear. We stop in the middle when a sudden quake causes a tremor and almost makes us lose our balance.

I look up and all around, seeing the very walls shaking. Is the volcano waking up? That's strange...

"Flareon!"

"Bui!"

The two Pokémon's barks snap me out of my thoughts.

Then I see rocks falling from the ceiling.

...This day can't get any worst than this.

Lava shoots up beside us.

Scratch that, it just got worse.

"RUUUNNN!" I holler as we made a mad dash to the other side, ducking away from the lava droplets and falling rocks. It's not an easy feat, but we make it to safety.

The victory is short-lived though, as we watch in horror as the bridge start to collapse in on itself.

There goes our way out.

We have to take a breather and recover from the near-death experience before continuing deeper into the volcano. No way of backing out now. As we head further, the quakes get more constant, though they're not of a large magnitude, so we should be safe from having to worry about falling rocks – though I still worry about cave-ins.

"AH! MY HAIR!" A sudden scream catches our attention, and we speed up our pace. We arrive in a wide room with a lot of crumbling rocks and fire everywhere in sight.

"INFERNAPE! CLOSE COMBAT! NO ONE MESSES WITH LAVANA!"

There is a girl with pink hair tied into a high ponytail, and she looks furious. Was she the one that screamed? There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her hair.

There are two others with her, both wearing the standard uniform of Team Dim Sun, so I can safely assume that the pink-haired lady is part of the organization too.

I trail to the other side of the cavern, wondering who they are having trouble dealing with. Upon inspecting the situation further, I widen my eyes.

Heatran.

The legendary is crawling all over the place to avoid any damage the Dim Sun members' Pokémon attempt to deal to it, including on the ceiling – how does he do that?

Infernape jumps up for a Mach Punch after the Close Combat fails, but Heatran unlatch from the ceiling, landing back on the ground while the Flame Pokémon goes up.

"Flare!" The Flareon at my side growls and then jumps into action, aiding in the fight against Infernape and Monferno.

Lavana, or so I assume, since she said it aloud before, looks anything but happy. "Guys, I don't care if we completely destroy this place, but that Heatran won't get out unharmed after singing my hair!"

The two beside her nod and command their Monferno to go in for a Mach Punch.

"Buizel, Water Gun them!" I say quickly, readying my Styler for capture. From the laptop thingies that they have in front of them, or at least the ones in the standard dark purple uniform, my best guess is that the Pokémon are being controlled. The pink-haired lady is wearing a pink crop top and a tight skirt. She's pink all over, actually, with the gloves and boots being pink as well.

After the two fire-types have been doused by water, I send the capture disc flying.

I guide the disc with my index and middle fingers, making fast, intricate movements until a solid circle surrounds the two and successfully engulfs them in a bright light.

Once the capture is completele, the two Monferno snap out of their daze, looking around in confusion.

"Hey! What's the big idea?! And who the hell are you?!" Lavana demands, glowering.

"Geez," I sigh, scratching the back of my head. "What's your problem, lady?"

"Watch your attitude," one of her lackeys warns. "This is Lavana you're talking to."

"So?"

"So, back off," says the other. "We must teach that Heatran a lesson for sending fire in Lavana's direction."

"Silence, both of you!" Lavana snaps, prompting the two to zip their mouths. ...Do they really have the luxury to talk right now? From what I'm seeing, the Infernape could use a little help.

I examine her pink hair. It looks fine to me. "You girls are being melodramatic. You hair doesn't even look like it got singed, so why are you so angry with Heatran?"

"Excuse me?" Lavana starts, her voice raising by an octave. "That Pokémon had the nerve to attack me!"

"Maybe that's because you trespassed on its ground?" I answer back, glancing over at Heatran, Flareon, and Buizel. Just keep them talking.

"We wouldn't have even come to a place like this if we weren't here on business," the lady to the right of Lavana says indignantly.

The one on the left fans herself. "It's so hot here!"

Lavana herself seems annoyed, but I don't think it's because of the heat. "Daisy, Milly, you two complain too much. Shut your traps, or would you like me to throw you into the lava?"

The two zip up again.

"Hot?" I muse. "It's not that humid, is it?"

Lavan tsks, throwing her hip to the side and resting a hand on it. "Of course not. I'm the only hot one here."

"...Right," I deadpan.

"Infer!" The Flame Pokémon screams out as it is crushed under Heatran's weight.

I smirk. "Looks like you're out of Pokémon."

Lavana scoffs, flipping her ponytail and readjusting her posture so that she is hugging her elbows. "Do you really think I'd let this conversation prolong without an ulterior motive?"

She raises an arm and snaps her fingers.

An explosion comes from a wall and a large blast of fire races in my direction. I quickly duck and roll away before I get burned.

Lavana looks pretty smug right now. "I'm not an idiot, boy."

She then looks around at the damage with disinterest. "You know what? This is getting boring. We're going."

"But Lavana-" A look from their leader silences the grunts.

"If I have time, I'll be replacing you two," she says calmly before striding to the opening, which I can now see the Magmortar created.

"Hey!" I say before dodging another Flamethrower. When I look back up, they're gone, and the opening is blocked by rocks.

I sit up, sighing. "Man, they got away."

I then look to see Heatran staring at me, sizing me up. I flinch and edge back nervously, laughing meekly. "Um... hi, I'm Keith. Erm, sorry for intruding in your home. So... please forgive us?"

His unwavering gaze is kind of unnerving.

_"Um... hey, Heatran? Can we talk now?" _asks a high-pitched voice – the Flareon.

There's a low grumble.

The grumble signal more in my head and I hear my own voice talking to someone, making me slightly dizzy.

_"C'mon, please? We barely got here alive, and then you gave us no choice but to fight you to calm you down. You know we don't mean any harm, really, so could you spare us a moment? Even a minute would be fine."_

_"Flare..."_

_"I promise, Flareon and I will leave right after and never come back."_

_"...What is it, human?"_

I blink at Heatran. "Can you use telepathy...?" It's a strange question to ask out of nowhere, but I feel like he can.

_"I think it's him!"_ the Flareon besides him chirps, pointing a paw at me. What about me?

The Heatran grumbles something and sighs. He then turns his back and gestures for me to follow as well.

Buizel and I exchange looks before doing as he told us.

We walk through another tunnel that I didn't notice before, and it leads us to some kind of temple. Torches line the sides, and stairs rise up in front of us, leading to a pedestal.

_"Go up, human,"_ the same gruff voice orders. I look at the legendary with astonishment.

"So you can!"

Heatran nudges me towards the stairs. _"Up."_

I stumble forward and look back at him until I see him giving me a stern look. "Okay, geez."

I climb the long flight of stairs until I reach the top, where there stands a carved dias. Resting on the pedestal is a flame-shaped red gem. Seeing the gemstone gives me a tugging feeling.

I walk towards it, hypnotized as I reach a hand forward. The stone brightens a great deal, glowing as the shards did, though this time, it doesn't affect my eyes. The same images that I saw before when Flareon's pendant glowed, and even more that I've never seen before, seem to be spewing out of a box that has been locked up in me since forever, bringing me to a different world.

Four people appear before me in my mind, each showing a smile, even though I can't recognize their faces. They greet me with different gestures, each causing a pang of familiarity.

_"Hey Dazzle!" He waves once with a hand resting on his hip._

_"Hi Dazzle." She waves politely._

_"Dazzle." He nods with his arms folded over his chest._

_"Prince Dazzle!" She is waving with a fully outstretched hand while the others linger by her side._

My eyes widen to the size of saucers. I try to reach for them, but the light suddenly fades and I'm back in the temple cavern. My hand stays outstretched as I blink, mouth slightly agape but nothing coming out.

_"It seems you were right,"_ Heatran grumbles. _"He's not just a look-alike."_

_"I told you! I told you! My ancestor was right! He knew the boy would come back!"_

I whip around to face Heatran and Flareon, questions whirling around my head. _"I have a few things I want to ask."_

_"What is it?"_ the Flareon asks excitedly, her pendant glowing just as bright as the gem did. It only just now occurs to me, but... Can she use telepathy too? Or is it... _"Oh hey! I can talk!"_

...And I thought my not thinking about it was bad.

_"It's the pendant, squirt."_

Well, that answers that.

"Tell me..." I start, gaining their attention. "Am I this... Dazzle person?"

Heatran nods._ "You were once Prince Dazzle, one of the three princes of Almia, and the one who overlooked the volcanic region of Almia."_

* * *

Heatran's POV

...

"That's... SO AWESOME!" The boy pumps his fist into the air with his eyes sparkling, catching me by surprise. I did not expect that kind of reaction to this kind of information.

_"It is, isn't it?!"_ Flareon agrees with the same enthusiasm. Shouldn't she be a little shocked with his reaction as well?

_"... You're not the least bit dumbfounded?"_ I query, nonplussed._ "Or even in denial? The Princes lived a millennia ago!"_

He stops spinning the Buizel around and thinks for a bit. "When you put it that way... it is a little unbelievable. I mean, I hail from Hoenn, and I was definitely not born in Almia a thousand years ago."

_"But...?"_ I press on. Humans shouldn't really be accepting these kind of things this fast but... he reminds me of how Dazzle would react to news that is strange but good.

"But it all makes sense now," Keith continues, grinning. "All those voices I heard when I got to Boyleland, and that connection to the worn down building I came upon. Even just now – there are fragments of memories in my head that remind me of what Almia was like so long ago."

I'm quite startled at his answer. I knew Dazzle, and he and Keith... they have the same personalities. He looks at me and Flareon and give us a weary but apologetic smile. "Hey, Heatran. I left you and Flareon to guard this volcano, didn't I?"

_"That's..."_

"You must have been quelling the volcano like I'd asked you to a long time ago, weren't you? Sorry to have pushed so much work on you."

My eyes widen ever so slightly. It's that same smile that Dazzle wore on his last visit.

_"Hey old friend." The young man sits down in front of me._

_"What is it now, Dazzle?" I ask in annoyance, though... I do appreciate his presence. It fills the once-empty volcano that I had grown tired of._

_"Something came up in Almia Castle, where my little brother is, and I need to go help."_

_"And why must you tell me your personal affairs?"_

_Dazzle sends me a weary but apologetic look. "Could you... while I'm gone, could you and Flareon watch over this place and protect it? Like we did together? Now that the volcano is sleeping, the Pokémon here are at ease, and I want it to stay that way when I'm gone."_

_I eye him with suspicion while he pets Flareon. Something about his tone doesn't sound right to me. "Are you implying something here, Dazzle Shirotori?"_

_He chuckles good-naturedly, leaning back with his hands against the ground. He grins, matching the carefree nature that he has. "Nah. Just watch over this volcano for me, 'kay? I don't want it erupting again like last time. I don't know when I'll be back, but I will. Don't worry about it."_

I sigh heavily. _"Legendaries have long life spans, so it gave me something to do. And a promise is a promise, and you proved your worth the first time we met. I do envy that Flareon, though."_

Flareon's ears perk up as she jumps up and down in front of me. _"Are you talking about my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-"_

_"Your ancient ancestor, yes,"_ I interrupt the pesky youngster with an annoyed huff. Keith laughs at her antics.

Flareon pouts. _"You're just as ancient, if not more."_

_"Why you little-"_

"Now now," Keith says, lifting the fire-type up. "Don't hurt her. I like this Flareon."

I sigh, shaking my head in dismay. I then turn away from them. _"Take what you need and leave."_

"Geez, always a grouch." From the corner of my eyes, I can see him pouting playfully.

_"You were always the blithe one,"_ I grumble back, climbing down the stairs. _"You haven't changed."_

"Hey, Heatran!" Keith calls, prompting me to stop. "I'll visit you again later on when I'm free, 'kay?"

I roll my eyes. _"No need. With that gem, you can call on me when you are in need of my help. I'll be there to aid you."_

"Really?!"

I give him a sharp look._ "Do not. And I mean DO NOT call on me whenever you feel like it. Only when you really need my assistance. I want my peaceful naps."_

He laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "You saw right through me, huh?"

I snort out charcoal and leave. This boy will be the end of me.

"...Wait!"

_"What is it now, human?!"_ I snap, turning sharply to him, making him cringe. Can I not leave in peace?

"Uh..." Keith says nervously. "The, um... the bridge we crossed to come here kinda... broke. So..."

My eye twitches at the boy, but then I sigh in defeat. _"Follow me."_

* * *

Keith's POV

Okay, so I shouldn't annoy Heatran too much. Being on the receiving end of his attacks is NOT fun. But thankfully, the other exit that he showed us is pretty, short so we were outside the volcano in no time flat. Though... it did help that we were running for our lives, from Heatran firing a Flamethrower at us – me specifically, but it was large enough to hit Buizel and Flareon too.

"Why were you even running with us?" I turn to Flareon beside me. "You're a fire type!"

"Flare!" she chirps, then tilts her head in confusion.

I blink. "Um... it doesn't work anymore."

_"That's because the pendant works only temporarily, when it glows,"_ Heatran explains, coming out. _"The Red Gem only responds to certain things, so don't think you can will it to."_

Dang it, he knows me too well.

"Then can you translate?"

Heatran sighs again, annoyingly. _"It's insignificant."_

Flareon pouts while Heatran just turns back to where he comes out from.

"Later Heatran!" I holler.

_"I don't want to see your face anytime soon,"_ he grumbles back.

Grouch-face.

I look back down to the Red Gem safely secured in my bag. It wasn't that hard to accept what has been given to me. Those memories were so real and that building... it was my home away from home. It's my gut feeling to believe and accept it, and I always follow my gut. It may only be fragments, but memories are still memories, and I have a feeling that more will come back later on.

"Hey Flareon, thanks for the guiding us." I look at the fire-type at my side.

She smiles and then jumps about.

I look at her in confusion, then Buizel taps at my leg, gaining my attention.

"Bui, bui!" He points the the excited Flareon, then at himself.

"Um... you want to play with her?"

A shake.

"You're both hungry."

Two shakes.

"Oh, you two want to go on a date!"

A jet of water sprays my face, followed by a quick Ember.

"Ow! Okay! I was joking!" I back away from the two Pokémon, chuckling slightly, then look at Flareon. "You want to tag along with us?"

She nods.

I grin. "Great! The more the merrier! Let's go find your family and get it clear with them!"

"Flare!"

I look back at the volcano and groan, my shoulders slumping. "...That means we'll have to go through all that again."

* * *

**Ah, one more thing before you stop reading (if you read ANs):**

**If you started reading this story before 6/15/15, you should know that all of the beginning chapters have been beta-ed and are now up to the quality of the rest of the story. If you'd like, you can re-read the story to see the changes which have been made - it's around 11 chapters. I have the chapters labeled with the day it was updated so you'll know when it stops.**


	29. Chapter 29 - Welome To Hell Temple

Chapter 29

**Hey hey! Sorry for the late update! I have some... complications with some other story of mine and I lost my inspiration. But anyways, enough about that.**

**Chapter title explains it all. -insert evil smile here-**

**Okay, a steady flow of about 7k+ words in the past two chapters then this one... I hope I can keep consistency up!**

**Reviews:**

_**Devilboy58 - Thank you ^^ I'm sure you'll find this chapter... extra entertaining than the other one.**_

_**B2KatxCurtis - You. You have the same exact thought as me. I like you :D When I went on line to search for more details about the setting, I was smiling evilly to myself as I imagine the events and what extract would put in. I had fun, and I hope you will enjoy it too!**_

_**caird56 - Ahhhh, you're going to hate me by the end of this... or this chapter I least. Just watch. :) - runs to hide and prey to Arceus for my safety-**_

**Thanks for the reviews! Now onto the tort - I mean chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

Lunick's POV

I tap away at the steering wheel with my chin resting on the top, staring out onto the ocean. We're supposed to be heading for the Haruba Desert as fast as we can, and traveling by air would be the fastest option, but...

"...Why exactly are we going by boat again?" I voice out the thought that has been on my mind.

Solana sighs in exasperation next to me. "Because there's a huge ongoing sandstorm in Haruba Desert. I don't think flying-types would be suitable to handle a rough storm like that."

"But we'll never know until we try!" I protest.

She gives me a look. "How was it when you tried to ride a Dodrio through a hurricane?"

I cringe at the memory. Well, she got me there. That was horrible. "Okay, maybe that was a little reckless on my side, but..."

"I do NOT want to go looking for you again after you get blown away by the wind." Solana seethes, not fond of the memory either. For one thing, she spent a lot of time trying to search the Fiore region while I was sitting in some village, drinking tea. My Styler broke, and there wasn't anyway of communication in that closed-off village, so there was that, as well.

Overall, Solana was anything but happy to see me when it was all over.

"Okay, fine," I relent, raising my hands up in defeat.

"Lun! Hands on the wheel!" Solana scolds.

"Oops," I say as I place my hands back and steer clear of an oncoming Wailord who surfaced up for air. It does make the boat tilt a little outward, causing Solana, Minun, and Plusle to fall to the floor.

Ah, this is going to be a long trip.

...

After finally arriving at the harbor, we step out, only to get a face full of hot sand – or at least I do, anyways, and it almost knocks me off my feet.

_"This place is windy!"_

_"That might have something to do with the Pokémon inhabiting this area, Kazuki."_

"What the..." That was weird. Whose voices were those? They sound so familiar, and the names are just on the tip of my tongue, but... I can't pinpoint it.

"I told you!" Solana shouts over the howling wind, bring me out of my daze.

I don't say anything in response, not wanting to make matters worse. Instead, I say, "Let's go find shelter!"

With our partner Pokémon securely attached to our shoulders, we make our way into one of the Harbua Desert's villages, only to find no one around other than some Hippopotas hanging around and one guy trying to sell coffee... what?

It's the middle of day. A sizzling hot day, if I might add, with a sandstorm. As if anyone would want coffee in this situation!

That guy must not know how to run a business.

"Hey Lun," Solana starts, pointing at one of the Hippopotas, "those Pokémon are acting a little strange, don't you think?"

I glance over to where she is pointing, seeing the sand-dweller walking around in circles with a dazed look in its eyes. That... doesn't look right. It's as if the Pokémon is being controlled like a zombie.

A strange, but eerie sound suddenly floods into my hearing, causing my chest to squeeze tight. What the...

The twinge is just like back at the Union, when the light show appeared, though this one is slightly less painful than the other one. Something seems to guide me as my gaze travels around to the coffee seller.

"Get your coffee while it's still cold!" he shouts, advertising to literally no one. "Try out the delicious liquid of this here coffee machine!"

My eyes halt on the machine behind the man, seeing that it is emitting a strange vibration in the air. When I look closely at it, the thing isn't even a coffee machine! It's a Gigaremo!

"Sol," I say, calling her attention, then nudging towards the machine with my head.

"Is that..."

"Yeah." I confirm the unspoken question. "I'll be back."

I make my way over to man's so-called coffee machine while suppressing the growing pain in my head. Is it because of the Gigaremo?

"Ugh, stupid sandstorm," the coffee seller mutters. "It's not doing any good for my business! And what's with the Hippopotas!?" He scowls at one of said Pokémon, who returns the gaze with its hypnotized eyes.

He tries to shoo the Pokémon away, but it doesn't seem to budge.

"Hey," I say, catching the man's attention. I lean slightly on the tent where the coffee ingredients are – right next to the red Gigaremo – and flash the business guy a casual smile. "Mind if I have a go at your coffee?" _Shut up, stupid headache!_

_"Hey there mister! How's the business doing?"_

_"As per usual, my Prince. Thank you for the other day – for chasing away the bandits."_

_"Haha... you don't have to be so formal with me, and besides, it's my job to look after the people here."_

Okay, those voices should shut up too, because I'm trying to accomplish something here! Focus... Keep that smile as natural as you can, Lunick, I think to myself, hoping that will help me. A bead of sweat dribbles down my face while I strain to keep the smile as convincing as I can.

Luckily, the man doesn't notice my internal struggle as he practically beams at me – I'm guessing because I'm his first customer since his business started.

"Of course!" He hands me a cup of lukewarm coffee. "Try and see how it tastes! Tell your friends if you like it!"

"Sure sure," I reply, humoring him, not really paying attention to what he says. "Ah, oops."

I 'accidentally' lose my grip on the cup and the dark liquid just so happens to spill onto the so-called coffee machine. This causes the man to shriek in horror as the thing starts to fritz, and then he glowers at me.

"What are you doing, clumsy oaf!" He pushes me away to check on the Gigaremo. "Now how will I do my business?!"

I roll my eyes. "I hate to tell you, but that's not a coffee maker. You should know your machines better."

"What?"

"That," I point to the thing that I fried with a placid face, "is what is causing the Hippopotas to act weird. A Gigaremo. So a job well done to you for hypnotizing them."

My sarcasm seems to get through the man's skull, and I leave him flabbergasted.

As I make my way back to where Solana is standing, she shakes her head at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You're a terrible actor."

"Hey!" I exclaim, offended. "It worked, didn't it?"

She shrugs, then looks around. "Well, at least the Hippopotas gained back their senses, and the sandstorm let up a little in this area too. It must have been their doing in the first place."

I blink, only realizing that now that she mentioned it. That, and the disappearance of my headache. The voices aren't gone, though.

_"Ow, ow, ouch! That stings, Hinata!"_

_A sigh escapes from somewhere. "Kazu, you need to be more careful. Why did you try to take on all those bandits at once? You could have waited till the reinforcements arrived."_

_"It'd have been too late when they got there, Hina! Hey- ow! Stop pulling at my ear! It really hurts!"_

_"I wish you would stop trying to be the hero! It really gets on my nerves how reckless you can be!"_

Is it just me, or did that sound like the type of argument that Solana and I have occasionally? Even the voices sounded similar to ours.

"Lun? Are you there?" Solana's concerned voice breaks me out of my thoughts.

"H-huh? Yeah..." I reply, a little out of it still. Then, I suddenly see her wearing a... princess dress? What? I shake my head and my vision returns to normal. Must be a mirage.

"Hey Sol, do you... hear voices?"

She blinks, completely lacking understanding of what I'm talking about. "No...?"

I sigh, placing a hand on the side of my head. "Then it must mean I'm hallucinating or something. I keep hearing conversations that I never remember hearing, even though some of the voices sound familiar."

Solana furrows her brows in concern, though she seems reluctant to voice her thoughts for some reason. "...It must be the heat."

"I guess." I get this strange feeling that she's hiding something, but I shove the suspicion out of the way. Sol would never hide things from me.

A nudge at my ankle causes me to look down to meet the gaze of a Hippopotas.

"Hippo!"

"Huh?" I pipe in confusion as the Pokémon seems to warm up to me for absolutely no reason at all.

"Min! Min!" my Minun seems to bark. He's probably upset due to the ground-type's affections.

I chuckle, scratching my Pokémon partner under the chin. "Relax pal. Make friends, not enemies, okay?"

From the corner of my eye, I can see Solana giggle and her Plusle shaking her head in disapproval. Minun doesn't do will with ground-types, ever since the first time he encountered one in our adventures.

Let's just say Minun hates it when his attacks doesn't work.

I crouch down to the Hippopotas, petting him on the head. "Hi! I'm Lunick, nice to meet you."

"Hippo!" the ground type chirps, then hops off a few meters away. "Hippo, hippo!" he calls, jumping in place, as if trying to get us to follow him.

"...erm..." I say uncertainly, then turn to Solana for her opinion. "Should we?"

She seems to be deep in thought, and then turns and shrugs. "Why not? It might be important."

The matter settled, we decided to follow the stray Hippopotas out of the village and into a canyon, where the sandstorm starts to pick up again. However, when I look up, I can see a few Fearow gliding with the wind, way above the sand's reach.

However, one apparently spots us. The predator Pokémon starts a dive directly at us – or more accurately, where Minun and Plusle are clinging to our shoulders. The first wave is then followed by several more as more Fearow come to play the game of "who can catch the prey first".

We manage to dodge out of the way of the first wave, then hide from the second and the third thanks to a column of rock.

Then come some Skorupi that jump out of their hiding spots in the sand, successfully ambushing us while we try to fight off the Fearow.

"These guys are territorial!" Solana hollers as she completes a capture of the poison-ground type.

I capture a Fearow that was about to make off with Minun. "And those guys are hungry!" I say, trying to add some humor to the situation. "And where did that Hippopotas go?"

As if on cue, the Pokémon pipes his name, prompting us to look up the side of the canyon we're in. The Hippo Pokémon is standing on a ledge, waving at us with one of his front legs. When did he get that high or how even? ...I'll never understand Pokémon.

"Let's go up too!" I call, grabbing Minun from the sand as I run for the side of the canyon.

With Solana right behind me, I start to climb up, but the Fearow are still on the attack. Minun's attacks fend them off for a while, but electric attacks aren't that effective in a sandstorm, so the Fearow shake the static off after only a few minutes, then resume their attacks.

And of course, these guys are too stubborn to quit, no matter how many times they get hit. I try to capture another Fearow, but with sand in my eyes, my aim is off.

I curse under my breath and resume climbing.

At some point, my grip slips, and I almost fall to the ground. I'm glad I was being so careful.

"Lunick!" Solana calls from a little below me.

"I'm fine!" I reassure her. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see a vine, so I reach for it. Yet again, voices fill my head with nonsense.

_"Are you okay, Prince Kazuki?"_

_"I'm fine Katherine. It's only a scratch."_

_"...Why, exactly, were you hanging from the balcony, Kazuki? On the vines at that?"_

_A sheepish chuckle. "Well... Hajime, I was just... practicing acrobatics?"_

_"Pfft! Hahaha! As if, Kazu! Admit it! You were trying to hide from Hinata because she's mad at you!"_

_"Shut up Dazzle!"_

I shake my head, doing away with those familiar voices as I proceed to climb up the vine. When another Fearow comes my way, I push off with my feet, successfully landing a blow to the Pokémon while I'm in midair.

However, I didn't think about coming back around, and end up planting my face against the wall. It hurts. A lot.

I rub my face and grumble, looking around. Solana is nowhere to be found – must've gone up further than me already – and it seems I'm safe for a while from any further attacks.

"Minun, you okay?" I ask to the Pokémon that's still clinging to my shoulder.

When I get a nod in reply, I continue my climb up as fast as I can. When I finally get up to the top, I collapse out of exhaustion. "Man, I'm tired."

_"Man, I'm exhausted."_

_"Hey! If he's tired! Then we're done, right?"_

_"Dazzle, that is no excuse to call off practice."_

_A chuckle comes. "Relax Hajime. Dazzle has a point. We've been swordfighting for hours. We need to take a break at some point."_

_"But..."_

_"I'll tell Katherine to bring us something to eat."_

_"Alright!"_

_"...Fine."_

_"Maybe we can even sneak out of the castle and explore the streets!"_

_"Kazuki..."_

I don't even care about the voices anymore. They seem totally unrelated to the task at hand, even if I feel somehow connected to them, so I'll just ignore them. Whatever it is, I'll probably find out later.

"Lunick!" Solana's voice calls. I look up to see her, Plusle, and Hippopotas running towards me and Minun. "I was worried that something might have happened!"

I sit up and reassure them that I'm fine. I then shade my eyes against the sun, seeing how the storm isn't as strong up here as it is down there. And in the distance, I can see cyclones of sand moving around, restricted to one particular spot.

"What's going on over there?" I wonder aloud.

"Hippo hippo!" The ground-type chirps, running directly towards where that disaster is brewing.

"Hey wait!" I call after him, running along. "It's dangerous over there!" I contradict my own warning as I run. I'm eventually forced to stop when a strong wind hits me. It'll send me off my feet if I'm not too careful.

I shield my face with my arms as I attempt to continue forward.

Upon hearing the Hippopotas calling again, I peep through the gap of my arms, seeing the sand tornadoes spinning around the chasm haphazardly. When one of the tornadoes comes close to the edge of the platform we are standing on, I quickly pick the ground-type up to avoid him being sucked into the storm.

Solana catches up to us seconds later, but is shocked to silence at the sight. "...That's... that's not natural."

"You're telling me," I respond and squint through the circling disasters, seeing a dot of brown in the middle. "Is that... is that a Pokémon?"

Solana squints at where I'm pointing and nods, confirming my thoughts. "It looks like a Hippowdon."

"Hippo!" The Hippopotas in my arms raises its front paw in agreement to Solana's guess.

"It might be the one who's causing this mess," Solana continues. "But I don't know why."

I look more closely at the Hippowdon, and find that it is thrashing around in the sand. Something must be agitating it. I look around, seeing a trail that leads down to where Hippowdon is but... going into that storm might be a suicide attempt, if you ask me.

I need...

I look thoroughly at my surroundings and spot a Dodrio a ways off, trying to hide from the storm.

I smirk in amusement. It looks like I'll have to do it again.

"Wait Lun!" Solana shouts as I run off without saying anything. "Where are you going?!"

"Don't worry, I'll be right back!" I call and aim my Styler right at the Dodrio. The disc flies out and circles around the Pokémon. With the Triple Bird Pokémon distracted, it's an easy capture.

Once the capture is complete, I call the Dodrio to come over and hop right on it.

"IDIOT! YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN!? AND AFTER I TOLD YOU NOT TO?!" Solana shouts, sounding both furious and worried.

I cast her a two-finger salute before riding Dodrio down to the moving cyclones. I hope that the Pokémon is fast enough to outrun the sandstorm and aim for the eye of the storm... or storms. There's about four or five of those twisters doing merry-go-rounds.

At first, Dodrio seems reluctant to go near, but after some coaxing, he seems ready.

"Hang on tight Minun," I say to the Cheering Pokémon, who decided to stick with me until the very end.

"Min!" he says back with determination flaring up in his beady black eyes.

"Okay then," I pat the Dodrio's back as a signal for him to go.

I try to steer the Triple Bird Pokémon through, but we always seem to be pushed back. After the fifth attempt, I decide to relent on the going-straight-in plan and circle around the twisters, trying to find an opening.

Once I do, I jump at the chance. I order Dodrio to speed up, for a twister is coming our way. At some point, I almost get blown off of the Pokémon's back – luckily, I have a firm grip on his feathers.

My vision suddenly clears – we've arrived in the eye of the storm. I see Hippowdon thrashing around, sand blowing out from the pores on its back. At the same time, my head is swimming in a conversation again.

"Whoa! Calm down! We're not here to cause trouble, Hippowdon! We just wanted to check up on the Temple!"

"Hippowdon!"

"Tch, this isn't working."

"We need to calm it down first, Kazu. This Hippowdon is the guardian of the temple, after all. He's not going to let us in unless we prove that he can trust us."

"Right, right."

A temple? I look around, but I don't find any in sight. But if the conversation was a hint... then I'll have to calm the Hippowdon down!

I quickly aim my Fine Styler at the raging ground-type and fire the disc. It wavers slightly due to the strong wind, but it still goes to the Heavyweight Pokémon. That seems to get the attention of the Pokémon, as he looks at the circling disc, then at me.

Before I know it, I'm being attacked by an earthquake, momentarily distracting me as the Hippowdon digs a hole and disappears into it.

I click my tongue as I look around for any possible area where the ground-type could resurface.

Sensing a vibration right below me, I tell Minun to use Helping Hand and then order Dodrio to jump high and launch a Tri Attack once the Hippowdon snaps his jaws up at us. The boosted multicolor attack breaches the Hippowdon's defenses, and I quickly guide my disc to the stunned Heavyweight Pokémon.

With swift movements of my hand, I manage to create a solid loop around Hippowdon and successfully capture the Pokémon.

However, before I can tell him to call off the storm, something strikes Dodrio on the side, causing him to squawk in pain and throw me off into one of the twisters.

I scream as I get suck in. My head collides with something, and everything goes black.

.

.

.

.

.

"Min... Min... Minun!"

I grimace and pry open my eyes at the call. Through bleary eyes, I can make out something to my side. "Minun...?"

I blink several times, clearing away the white dots in my vision before I can see clearly again. I start to sit up, not liking how the small of my back is digging into the ground. My body aches all over, especially my side.

"W-what... happened?" I groan, feeling a headache coming on.

Minun jumps at me, crying in relief.

I sigh and stroke his head. "Don't worry, I won't be dying anytime soon."

I then look around, realizing I'm not outside anymore, but inside some kind of... ruins? Temple? I must have been thrown into this place by the twister.

The tile floor under me is all cracked from age, and sand is everywhere I look. The walls don't look too high, but they're high enough that I can't climb over them. Not that I really want to. The walls seem like they make up a maze of some sort, with strange, worn-away hieroglyphics that I can't understand inscribed on them. Are they Unknown symbols?

_"Can you read them, Hina?"_

_"...A little. I think it's warning us of the dangers in this temple."_

I try to stand up despite my body yelling at me not to.

Okay, so we're in a temple. A dangerous one at that. Those voices sure come in handy sometimes. It suddenly occurs to me that I am trusting random voices, which might be hallucinations, with my safety. But I don't have a lot of choices, do I? And I'd rather have some guidance.

"Minun, stay with me," I tell my Pokémon as I take a step forward, only for something to click under my feet. Suddenly, I'm sped forward towards a pillar.

I scream as I get closer, but then I'm forced to make a sharp turn and end up hitting a wall instead.

_"...There are traps here."_

_"What kind of- AH!"_

_"Hm... moving tiles, Pokémon ambushes, disappearing floors..."_

_"...SAY THAT BEFORE I MAKE ONE GO OFF!"_

"Ugh..." I take it back. They're not helpful. Not at all.

"Min min!" Minun calls over to where I was a second ago.

"Stay there Minun!" I tell him, but it's too late, as he steps on a tile and speeds forward too.

I accidentally take another step, and I make zigzags, then left, right, right, left, right, left, left, and then I'm forced to spin after coming to an abrupt stop. That goes on for a few more seconds before I'm sent spinning out of control and hit another wall with a splat as if I just got hit by a fly swatter. Now I know how bugs feel when they're being swatted away by the giant swatters.

It hurts like hell.

Minun comes in a few moments later, ending up with the same fate as was given to me.

"So... dizzy..." I slur before the wall collapses on us, probably unable to take the force of me and Minun due to its age.

As another clump of rock hits my head, I snap out of my dizziness and try to dig both Minun and myself out of the heap.

"Okay," I say once we're free of the pile of rubble. "We're not going that way again."

My Pokémon partner agrees without a beat.

As we walk through the wall that just broke, we're met with what seems to be an endless hallway. I look around cautiously, wary of any traps that could be set up. But seeing nothing, we walk through it... only to be attacked by the walls on both sides.

"AHHHH!" I shout as my screams mix with Minun's. The walls start to shoot out colorful beams at us, and with some clinking noises I find out that they're actually Bronzor hiding on the walls disguised as decorations. "What kind of a-"

I don't even get to finish as I step onto another tile, speeding me and Minun away.

I sigh in relief, glad for the tile's assistance in helping us escape.

We are then thrown over a chasm.

... I take that one back too.

I try to reach my hand for the other side, since we don't have enough momentum to fully fly over the abyss. My hand manages to claw into the jagged path, saving us from death. I grunt as I heave myself and Minun out of the near-death situation, panting once I get up onto solid ground

"Too... close..."

_"Kazu! There's no other way to get to you!"_

_"Stay here Hina! I'll find a way back!"_

_"No, go on without me! We'll meet up later!"_

Ignoring the conversation, I look ahead of us, seeing how we still have a ways to go. I come to the conclusion that we need to get out of here. Fast. Or it's death.

...

More mishaps happen as we wander through the temple. That includes me and Minun being shoved along on fast moving tiles – again – which lead us to walls that shoot arrows out of them. The projectiles barely miss, pinning my clothes to the wall as I turn as pale as a ghost.

We then run into a giant boulder, which chases us until we fall into a hole dug into the ground. The tunnel leads us to another room, where we run into more Bronzor shooting Psybeams and chasing the heck of out us that then become Bronzong, which is an even bigger pain, especially when they start to ring their clanging bells.

"JUST WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!" I shout as I step onto another moving tile that leads me towards a wall. "THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF HELL!"

Just before I hit the wall, the last tile in my path breaks, revealing one of those springy leaf pads, which sends me and my Pokémon Partner cartwheeling through the air and over the wall.

We land on another springy leaf, and the cycle restarts as we're helplessly tossed about from one place to another.

"That's it!" I declare as I'm tossed around. Just as I'm about to give up and let fate take me where it will, I spot a Bronzong while in midair. I send my capture disc over and quickly capture the psychic-steel type. "Bronzong, Psychic!"

The Bronze Bell Pokémon obeys, and we're outlined in a light blue, slowly moving towards the ground.

The psychic energy lifts once we touch the ground. I don't even get to sigh in relief when we land – the floor beneath our feet just... _disappears_.

Even as gravity takes its root on me, it takes a few seconds for my brain to register what happened.

"AHHHHH!" Minun and I scream again, but that too, is cut short when something hard yet soft collides with our side with such force that it sends us flying with it.

We went _splat_ against another wall, sand all over us.

I shake my head from the impact, only to see huge – and I mean boulder-size huge – sand balls coming our way at high speed.

This is torture. This is is definitely hell, no matter how you look at it.

The sand plastering us to the wall starts to crumble as we struggle to get out of the path of the oncoming sand boulders. We barely manage to dodge the sand balls, only to land in rushing sand.

I gasp as the loose, pale, yellowish-brown granular substance floods into my mouth, clogs my ears, and momentarily takes away my sight.

When I find myself finally still, I'm on solid floor, I hope it's solid please be solid. I shake the sand off of myself and pour it out of my ears and mouth, making me cough slightly.

It's miracle that I haven't died yet.

"M-Minun..." I croak, my throat parched thanks to the screaming and the sand in my mouth. Minun heaves himself up from beside me, shaking sand out of his fur. At least he's still alive.

I hear heavy footsteps in front of me and I look up, only to see a herd of Hippopotas and Hippowdon in front of us.

I flop down in defeat. "No more... I'm tired of this. I quit."

Then suddenly, I'm being hauled up on the Heavyweight Pokémon's back along with Minun.

"Hey- What are you-" Without warning, the herd carries us off into the depths of the temple.

It feels like hours before the herd finally stops in a dimly-lit room. There's just enough sunlight streaming through the cracks in the ceiling that I can see the area is an oasis, with water to both sides and a stone bridge that leads to a grassy island in the center, which houses a large pyramid with a flat top.

I hop down, having regained some of my strength during the ride, and look around. There isn't anything here at first glance, but a bright golden light suddenly flashes right in front of me, causing me to close my eyes.

When it's over, I blink away the white spots, only to come face-to-face with Cresselia.

"What the-?!" I reel back in surprise. "Since when- how- What?!"

A soft, graceful chuckle comes from the Pokémon in front of me, and I blink as images flash through my head.

There's Keith... Kellyn... Kate... and Solana... Wait, they don't look like the ones I know... The way they dress makes them look like they're from the medieval ages.

I look down at myself, only to see that I'm wearing some princely outfit. What the hell?

My head aches again as more images flood through it.

A picture of Kate, Solana, and I sitting around a table under a rotunda stationed outside, smiling.

Then a fire... a fight... then, as if fabric is being torn, the images splits in half, doused in fire, replaced with a desert. Solana is there, and... this Hippowdon Temple... And yet it's all different. I see myself, but it's not me, even though these memories have to be mine – they're too real to be anything but...

It's like I'm living two existences at once, and I have the terrifying realization that I'm not sure which one is real.

"Ugh..." I groan as I clutch my head. "What's... going on...? Who... are these people...? Who am... I...?"

* * *

Cresslia's POV

I watch as Kazuki... no, his reincarnation, breaks down with a migraine. I do pity what he has to go through. It seems as though it is something that they all go through. I close my eyes as I remember when I first met him and Hinata, my savior.

_"Whoa! Since when was Cresselia here?!" the young man exclaims._

_"She was fatally injured, Kazu," Hinata explains._

_Hearing that, the human quickly becomes worried for my well-being. "What? Where? Are you okay, Cresselia?"_

_"Yes. I am well, thanks to your companion." It is a strange sight to see, since I don't show myself to humans too often. But... Hinata did save my life, so I am grateful. And if this Kazuki is a close friend of hers, then I can trust him as well._

_"Really?" Kazuki says in surprise. "What did you do?"_

_"Uh... nothing, really."_

_I tilt my head in confusion. "What you did is not considered 'nothing', my dear."_

_Hinata shushes me through a smile and sends me a telepathic message to not tell Kazuki of what happened between me and her._

"Cresselia..." The young man in front of me speaks, bringing me away from my reverie. "Who... are Kazuki and Hinata? Are they...?"

I remain silent for a moment before I lower my head to him in a courteous bow. _"That, My Prince, is you and your partner, Solana."_

"...What?"

I look up to be met by a surprised look – something I expected.

"You mean... the Prince of Almia who ruled over the desert region? Prince Kazuki?"

I nod.

"...You've got to be kidding, right?"

_"I spoke nothing but the truth."_ I respond courteously._ "And as I promised long ago under your and Hinata's request, I have looked over the Temple. The true Guardian of the Temple, however, is still in slumber."_

A look of disbelief crosses his face, but then he simply sighs as he runs a hand through his midnight-blue hair.

"Right... let me get this straight. I'm a reincarnated prince, and Solana's a reincarnated Princess. I have... had, two siblings, Dazzle and Hajime, and a close friend named Katherine. I ruled over Haruba Desert after being kicked out of Almia Castle. And this is... a thousand years ago?"

_"Yes."_

"Uh..." He closes his eyes and winces. "Right. Let me just... process that correctly through my messed-up mind."

_"You're taking this rather calmly, Your Highness."_

"Well," he responds, looking up at me, "I've been in strange situations before. But... this one takes the cake! I can't really deny this possibility, though, since my mind somehow has memories of things before my birth. And please don't call me that."

_"You are... quite prudent,"_ I remark.

He shoots me a weary smile. "I just... there's still gaps that I can't understand."

_"Perhaps the Yellow Gem will assist with that."_ I motion up the stairs behind me, to where a large statue of Regigigas stands.

"Is that..."

_"The true Guardian himself,"_ I explain. _"He has not awoken from his slumber since your disappearance. He has been holding onto the Yellow Gem ever since. Therefore, I was the one who fended off anyone who came to steal it."_

I then turn back to Lunick._ "I request that you take it. It is safer in its original owner's hands, after all. And seeing that the Blue and Red Gems have already been returned to their owners, I suggest you claim yours as well. I can tell they will be needed soon."_

"R-right..."

I accompany him and his Minun up the stairs, a foreboding tension building in me.

* * *

Lunick's POV

I look up at the humongous solid statue of of the Legendary Pokémon who was said to have towed continents with ropes, which is crazy if you ask me. That must have been some strong rope to not break under the tension of pulling gigantic landmasses.

I mean, call me a skeptic, but really, where does one get that strong of a rope, even if the Legendary had the strength?

Cresselia helps levitate me up to where Regigigas's hands are resting closely together. In its hands is a yellow, crescent-shaped stone, glowing with a golden light similar to the one I experienced back at the research lab.

It seems to be calling me, and I reach for it with mesmerized eyes.

_"Lunick, I detect hostility,"_ Cresselia informs me as my fingers brush against the the stone. Placing herself defensively above me, she casts a Protect overhead as the ceiling crumbles with a loud explosion.

The sound of a helicopter suddenly bombards me, the aircraft hovering right above the hole that it made. Aboard the aircraft is a burly man in an almost entirely yellow outfit, the color only interrupted by his dark grey pants. He even has yellow hair to boot. Beside him is an Electivire and a Rhyperior.

"Bwhuaha!" he laughs raucously with his head thrown back. "I knew I could count on a Ranger to do the job right!"

"What?" I seethe, understanding that he had been waiting for me to get the Gem.

He sneers at me. "That Cresselia over there gave me some trouble, so I decided, why not use a Ranger. Who knew that that Pokémon would put so much faith in a scrawny man like you!"

I look at the Lunar Pokémon trembling in fury, but I'm getting the feeling that it isn't from the destruction of the place, nor at the taunt. There's... something else.

_"What have you done with her?!"_ she barks with hostility.

"Oh, you mean this brat?" With a snap of his fingers, a Magnezone lowers itself down through the hole in the ceiling.

My eyes widen as I see who it is that is confined in the Pokémon's magnetic field.

"SOLANA!" I exclaim, panicking to see her unconscious, along with her Plusle. Upon hearing my voice, she twitches and slowly wakes up.

"Ngh... Lunick...?" she says groggily. "...Cresselia...?"

_"Solana!"_ Cresselia cries out in desperation, charging in to save her. But a Shock Wave hits her, paralyzing the legendary on the spot._ "You... you scoundrel!"_

"Ohoho, looks like this Legendary has a soft spot. I should have showed this girl to you in the first place," the man jeers then turns to me. "Oi, you over there. Let's have a little trade. That stone, for this girl. Sound good?"

I narrow my eyes at him, my blood boiling with anger. "Who are you?" I spit.

"Me? I guess I could give you a name to remember and cower by." He jabs a thumb at himself proudly. "Name's Heath, a member of the Sinis Trio! Now, how about that deal?"

"Don't do it, Lunick!" Solana tries to persuade me.

"Shut up," Heath orders, thrusting a hand out to signal the Magnezone to electrify my struggling partner.

Solana screams in pain, and it hurts me to see her suffer.

I look at the crescent-moon-shaped stone behind me. If it's for Solana, then I have no choice. I grab it and glare at Heath. "On 3?"

He smirks. "Now that's how business is supposed to work."

"One," I start.

"Two," he continues.

"Three!" both of us say as I thrust the stone up while Magnezone drops Solana and Plusle.

I race to the spot beneath where she will land. I slide right in below her, judging that I wouldn't have had enough time otherwise. A cloud of dust lifts up around us as Solana lands, with me as the cushion.

Once it clears, the helicopter is nowhere to be found, but I'm more worried about my partner. "Sol, wake up." I glance over her to see Plusle still clinging to her. "Sol, Plusle, wake up!"

I shake both of them, Minun making his way over to us with a look of worry.

When we see that their chests are heaving up and down in a regular interval, we sigh in relief. "They're okay."

I hear Cresselia grunt and glance over to see her collapse on the floor, several scratches over her body.

...How did that happen?

"Cresselia, are you okay?" I ask in concern.

_"As long... as long as Solana is safe, I will be as well,"_ she replies as she manages to levitate back up.

"...What do you mean by that?" I ask, finding the response strange.

Cresselia sighs and her head drops._ "I was told not to inform you by Solana... or rather, by Hinata. But I see that it is something you must know."_

She then starts to use Lunar Dance. A crescent moon is cast over her, starlight dancing over her body in sparkling pink and purple. As she twirls, Solana's body starts to glow faintly with the same light, causing me a sharp intake of breath at the sight.

"What..." I trail, not knowing what to say exactly.

_"Solana's condition is directly linked to mine,"_ the Lunar Pokémon explains, making her way over to me. _"If she is injured, I will be as well, and the same is true in reverse."_

"How's that... possible?"

_"She saved me a millennium ago when she found me in this Temple. I was fighting with Darkrai, but... something seemed wrong with him. He was stronger than before, much stronger. I was dealt a fatal blow and barely managed to escape. I came here for sanction, only to be found by Hinata. She decided to help me, no matter what, and seeing my life dwindling, she asked how she could save my life. There was but one way, and that was for her to become one with me."_

"...Pardon?"

_"My spirit resides within her, which allowed me to recover. Even as of now, I am but a mere spirit projected out of her body,"_ she continues to explain.

"Wait a minute, then what happened when she died?"

Cresselia shakes her head. _"She did not exactly die. Instead her body turned into moon dust, and my real body took shape from it, with her spirit then residing within me. Solana could choose to be reborn or to cross over to the afterlife whenever she liked, but she chose to stay and protect this temple with me until this century. When she reincarnated, she took my physical form with her as well, though my projection stayed here to guard the Yellow Gem. It's just a cycle between me and her."_

Ah... this is all too confusing. "So... she's you, and you're her?"

Cresselia shakes her head again._ "I see that you do not understand."_

"How could I?!" I exclaim in frustration. "You mean... all this time... she's been unable to rest in peace?!"

_"She was waiting for you,"_ Cresselia replies. _"She knew something was going to happen - coming from a bloodline of Seers- so she waited until it was the right time and came to help."_

Tears start to form in my eyes as I look down at Solana's sleeping figure. I then close my eyes, my heart squeezing tightly at the thought of her waiting for me for a thousand years.

"Solana... why...?"

"... Because if I'm not there to look after an idiot like you, who would?"

I open my eyes as Solana gazes up at me, looking at me with clouded red eyes and a gentle smile.

"Sol..." I quiver as I embrace the blunette. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know anything at all..."

She returns the gesture, stroking my back. "It's okay, Lun. We all lose our memories when we're reborn. But we remembered them. That's all that matters, but... I feel old, Lun. And tired."

I break away from her and caress her face affectionately. There really is nothing I can say. I feel like I just caught up to how old I really am, like a huge weight dropped onto me.

Just a few minutes ago, I wasn't sure who I was, but looking at Sol, I know for certain. There's no way it could be any other way. This love I feel for her is the same as the love Kazuki – my past self – felt for her then.

Her features haven't changed. Her eyes are as beautiful as back then, back when we first met.

And before both of us know it, we're lured in, eyes steady on only the other.

I can feel her warm breath against my face as I lean in.

Of course, the universe decides to interrupt us, and an earthquake shakes the earth. We break apart, blushing as the ground shakes.

_"It seems,"_ Cresselia speaks up – Holy- I forgot she was there! –_ "that Regigigas is waking up."_

"What?!" I exclaim, then push up to my feet, only to stumble when the pain of my earlier mishaps finally catches up to me.

A hand grabs my arm, and I look over to see Solana giving me support.

I grin at her. "How about we take a nice long break after all of this is over?"

She smiles back. "Sounds great."

We watch as the giant breaks out of his solid form, rubble falling into the water and onto the ground. He stands before us, the seven dots that serve as his eyes glowing in a pattern.

He then kneels down, looking at me, as the dots seem to register my appearance.

_"Master's treasure is stolen. I will give my assistance to Master. Master, I am at your command."_

* * *

**Lunick going through hell. Pretty much it.**

**So, I put myself on trial and was found guilty for enjoying the torture I put Lunick through :D Yep, guilty as charge! Who's with me?**

**Then a... confusing... explanation about Solana and they got two more legendaries on their side!**

**Oh, and screw game logic! Regigias can wake up whenever he wants - like in the movie and manga - without the Regis being there to do the wake up call. Movies and manga proved it possible so there! Mwuhahaha!**

**... I don't know why that's funny but it is.**


	30. Chapter 30 - Is This Consider a Date?

Chapter 30

**Guys, I jinxed myself last chapter :c This one's a short chapter, sorry...**

**And daaannnggggg, I just noticed this story's over a year old! Well... this chapter might as well consider it's late anniversary... thingy... lol... you'll see why.**

**Reviews:**

**Reaper789 - Lol, I don't think I can manage torturing as good as others so yeah XD I don't know, we'll see what the lengendaries are up to sooner or later ;)**

**Roaring Soul - XD sorry for the twists and turns. It got a little boring just following the script so I decided to venture. Thanks for the advice, I'll try to do better details later. Not really good with those but I can always improve :p**

**Devilboy58 - Glad you enjoyed last chapter. Now your curiosity will soon be quenched. Hope you like this chapter!**

**The Lady of Dragons - Thanks! And sorry for have to delay Kellyn and Kate for so long XD Maybe you can just wait a bit mor - just kidding. If you just look down to the chapter...**

**TheKeyToDestiny - Yeah, I feel bad for putting him through that but yes, at least I got the memory parts over with.**

**caird56 - Sorry ;; In a way, I'm making it up to you with this chapter - not about un and Sol though...**

**B2KatxCurtis - Glad you like last chapter! -Nods- Exactly, no one other than Solana can looking after Lunick properly.**

**Thanks for the reviews! Hope to see more of them XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

* * *

Kellyn's POV

I heave a sigh for the umpteenth time as I patrol through the Vien Forest, riding a Doduo that I captured. I had already gone through Pueltown and the Peril Cliffs, and nothing unusual was happening. It was peaceful... too peaceful. With the increased appearance of Gigaremos, I thought there were going to be more big outbreaks of them.

"Are they planning something big...?" I mumble in thought.

I close my eyes to think, only to have my aura vision switch on. I click my tongue and reopen my eyes in exasperation. Ever since the incident at Almia Castle, I developed Aura Sight, and it activates whenever I close my eyes. It's useful, yes, but it's also distracting. Now I can't think when I close my eyes – and I think better with my eyes closed!

"At least I'll know if I'm being ambushed when I try to sleep..." I mutter, to no one in particular. I mentally note to train on controlling this new ability of mine.

"Chupa...?" Pachirisu, who is sitting on my shoulder, starts trying to get my attention. "Chu! Chupa!"

I see the static electricity sparking on his cheeks as if he has picked up on a familiar electric signature.

"...I wonder..." I mumble and close my eyes. Different shades of blue replace my normal vision – brighter blues to show lifeforms, while inanimate objects possess only a faint glow. As for the ground, it's almost pitch black.

Deep within the trees, I can see an aura signature that's different from all the others, this one being slightly brighter and having a faint tinge of green. There are other auras surrounding it, in the shape of Pokémon.

"Doduo," I call and motion the Pokémon to turn and jump off of the path into the trees. Making zigzags and dodging low branches, we arrive to the place where I had spotted the strange aura signature.

The aura – human-shaped, I now realize – starts to move and groans.

Hearing the voice that I've wanted to hear more than any other for over a week now, I open up my eyes in shock and stare. My mouth opens and closes like a fish as I try to find words.

Kate.

She's right there. In the flesh.

"What the..." she mumbles, scratching the back of her head as she takes in her surroundings.

"K-Kate..." I manage to choke out.

She immediately snaps her head up in my direction, showing me those enchanting blue eyes of hers.

She gapes at me, raising a finger in my direction.

"Ke-Kellyn-"

* * *

Kate's POV

I try to say Kellyn's name, but I'm cut off when he immediately runs up, kneels down, and pulls me into an embrace.

"You're okay... You're really okay."

I can feel my cheeks heating up, and my hands try to push against his chest. What exactly is he trying to do?! I tell myself that I have to say something back to him, but my sentences just get jumbled as my mind races wildly.

"W-wait- Wh-what are you- K-Kellyn-"

"You're really back," he mutters.

I knit my brows together in confusion for a second, but there's something in his voice that causes me to finally relax. Being in his arms is really comforting and I feel safe, safer than I have felt in ages. I let my chin rest on his shoulder and my arms fall limply to my sides.

"...Yeah..." I finally reply, burying my face into his shoulder as I lean into him. "I'm back."

"Where have you been?" Kellyn asks gently. "We've been looking all over the place, but no one could find you. I thought that..."

I laugh slightly, bitterly, knowing what he is going to say. "I can't. Even if I want to, I can't."

Kellyn pulls away, his face twisted in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

I look into his steady but concerned eyes and return a tired smile. "You remembered. Didn't you?"

He gives my question some consideration before understanding what I mean. "How did you..."

I take his hand and hold it tightly with both of mine. I keep my gaze down, looking at our hands as tears start to form around my eyes. "Even if you came back. Even if all of us could be together again like the old times. You'll all leave... and I'll be left behind again."

"Kate, what do you mean?" Kellyn inquires. "You're... in reincarnation as well, aren't you?"

I laugh in bitter amusement and then shake my head in response. "No... I've been on this planet ever since I was born."

"What?"

I shake away a few tears and look up at him, braving a smile. I can't tell him yet. Not right now. I don't want anyone feeling responsible for what happened to me, nor do I want a fight like that ever again. "Let's not make this reunion sound so sad, okay? So how long was I missing? And what did I miss?"

"Kate..." His tone sounds like that of a warning, but I only wave it away, trying to stand, which causes some Pokémon surrounding us to scatter.

I blink and tilt my head as Pachi jumps onto my shoulder. "Uh... Why are there so many Pokémon here?"

Kellyn stands up with me and folds his arms. "You tell me. When I found you lying here, you were already surrounded by wild Pokémon."

I form an 'o' with my mouth and start stretching, trying to loosen my up muscles, which oddly feel as if I haven't used them for a long time. I even hear a few cracks...

I take a deep breath and holler through the forest, my hands cupped around my mouth. "IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK!"

Kellyn looks at me as if I just grew two heads, which makes me laugh. He says nothing as I calm myself down, and there is a brief moment of silence afterwards.

"So..." I start, deciding to break the ice, "how long are you going to stay like that? I thought for sure you would've started scolding me by now, since I went missing and haven't contacted anyone at all during that period."

"I..." He opens his mouth, but then closes it.

"Wait..." I lean closer to him to examine his face. Is that... "Have you been sleeping at all? There are really bad dark circles under your eyes."

From up close, I can see his cheeks start to turn slightly pink, and I can't help but think he is just acting adorable.

"What? Are you embarrassed now, since I caught you red-handed?" I tease and turn around to let my feet start taking me away from this spot in the woods. "I didn't know the super calm and collected Kellyn could be even be embarrassed!"

I laugh to myself with a skip to my walk. "I never thought you could pull off such a cute fa-" I stop mid-step and realize exactly what I almost just blurted out.

"...What did you say?"

I look slightly over my shoulder to see Kellyn with a raised eyebrow, blush gone.

"Uh... n-nothing..." I answer back quickly, looking away to hide my slowly burning face, and start walking again, faster this time. "N-nothing at all!"

"Stop lying."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Nope! I didn't! I definitely wasn't going to say I didn't think you could pull off a cute face like-" I stop myself again and this time, I stomp my foot against the grassy terrain while my face heats up even more. "Dammit!"

I can hear him chuckling behind me, which makes me turn to glower at him. I hesitate for a second because when I turn around, he's right in front of me, but I quickly shake off the startle and retort, "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"

He chuckles again. "It was quite amusing actually. You were never good at lying."

"W-well, y-you're never good at..." I trail off. Was he ever bad at anything? At all?

Kellyn looks at me smugly with his arms crossed, waiting for my failing retaliation. "Well?"

"...I'll get back to you on that," I end up grumbling out, which makes him laugh even more. "Shut up." Stupid Kellyn who's perfect at everything...

"If it makes you feel any better," he starts, a half-smirk making its way on to his face. "I do have a weakness."

I perk up immediately. "Really? What is it?"

"Like I would tell you?" Kellyn returns with a taunting tone.

I make a little pout and turn around again. "You're no fun."

I suddenly feel my hand being grabbed and the next thing that I know, Kellyn is pulling me away. "C'mon, let's go somewhere else. I don't like you being in a forest like this."

"Heh?" My brows knit together in confusion again. "What do you mean by- oh, is it because of-"

"I don't want to be reminded of it," Kellyn cuts me off tartly. From what I can see of his face, his expression seems pained.

...Not that I can blame him.

"Sorry..." I bite my lower lip and decide to tug at the hand that he's holding mine in. "How about we head back to the Ranger Union then? They haven't-"

"No."

"Huh?!"

"This may sound a little selfish, but I don't want the others to know that you're back yet."

I look at him like he's crazy. Just what is going through his mind right now? "W-what?! But-"

"I know they're worried," Kellyn cuts me off for the third time in the last five minutes, "especially Lunick, Solana, and Keith."

"Then why would you-"

"I haven't had any breaks for a while now, with all that's going on with Team Dim Sun, rescue and retrieval missions, and all the stress from you being missing," he says, completing changing the topic with a sidelong glance. What is today? Kellyn-Interrupting-Me Day? "I think we should go to the amusement park."

"..." I blink, dumbfounded from that sentence that came out of nowhere. "...I'm sorry, what? I heard you and amusement park in the same sentence. I think I'm going delusional."

"I'm serious." Kellyn replies flatly, showing that he isn't joking about the proposal to... have fun.

I look at him incredulously. "Who are you and what have you done with Kellyn?!"

"Unavailable due to a certain someone," he quips.

A certain... someone... My eyebrow twitches. "Are you saying it's my fault that you haven't had a break?"

"Completely." He nods as he continues to guide me out of the forest.

"Hey!"

* * *

I gape at the amusement park at the north of Pueltown, right next to Altru Park. There are plenty of people, sure, and the rides looks fun, but...

"Has this always been here?" I voice my question aloud, gesturing to the whole scene as Pachi and Pachirisu leave to play in the Pokémon area of the park.

"No," Kellyn replies, his hands in his pockets. "They finished it while you were missing."

"Wha..." I trail, shocked. "H-how long since that happened?!"

"A little over a week."

"WHAT?!" I exclaim, causing people nearby to give me strange looks. I give them a sheepish smile and apology before returning to the conversation at hand. "Someone had this built in a week?!"

Kellyn gives me a look. "You care more about that than the fact that you've been gone for more than a week?"

I wave his question away. "It doesn't really matter now. I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"

He folds his arms. "It's the principle that matters. You had me- all of us worrying about you during that period of time."

I look at Kellyn suspiciously. He just faltered. Last I remember, Kellyn does not falter with his words. And what's more, was he going to say that he was worried about me? I'm touched, but...

"What?" Kellyn asks flatly.

"I don't know," I muse in return, "you just seem out of it."

"Hey Kate."

"Hm?"

"That." He points in front of us. "We're going there."

I follow his gaze and blanch. I spin back to Kellyn and shake my head vigorously. "Nu-uh! I don't want to go on that ride!"

He chuckles in amusement. There's nothing amusing about that!

"So you're telling me you can face a life-threatening situation head on, but you can't ride a roller coast without getting cold feet?"

"Well, yeah, I- wait..." I stop when I completely register what he said. Damn, he's got a point, but I have issues with fast-moving vehicles that go up and down and do loops to no end!

"...That and this are two completely different matters," I retort, folding my arms indignantly.

Kellyn rolls his eyes and pulls me with him anyways. "We're going."

"H-huh?! W-wait- I- but- I can't- I'M GOING TO DIE FROM THAT!"

"If you can survive a cave-in, then you can survive this," he answers back, adamant. "And don't say you're going to die so easily."

"..."

Kellyn pushes me into the roller coaster and gets into the seat beside me. When the ride gets loaded, we're locked into place to make sure we don't fall off the ride, but I'm tensing up and sweating like crazy.

"K-Kellyn..." I start, whining slightly as I shakily look at him like a scared little child. "H-hold my hand w-will you? I-I want t-to make extra s-sure that I-I don't f-fall..." This is so embarrassing...

"..." He gives me an 'are-you-serious' look and sighs. He holds my left with his right, squeezing it tightly to help me relax before all hell breaks loose.

When the roller coaster reaches its apex, I can see the steep dive that we'll be taking. Before I can express any more of my fear, which is probably a good thing, we're already dropping like we're falling off a cliff.

As the wind hits me with its full force and sends my hair flying, the only thing I can think is that we're going way too fast. We go up and down and through several loops at an average speed of I'm-sure-I-don't-want-to-know. I'm screaming at the top of my lungs, my heart wants to jump out and go hide itself under a rock somewhere, and I left my stomach somewhere at the beginning of the ride.

At the end of the scary ride, Kellyn has to steady me as we get out. I feel a little green and scared out of my wits as I cling onto Kellyn as if he's my only lifeline.

"You alright?"

"...N-no..." I reply shakily.

"Great, let's go to the Pendulum ride!"

"H-HUH?!" I look up at his face, absolutely terrified. But I see no sympathy, only... actually, he looks really happy. There's an actual smile on his face as we make our way over to the Pendulum. That's not something I get to see very often.

I gulp and put on a smile. "O-okay..." If he's enjoying it this much, then I suppose I can deal with a couple of amusement park rides.

Except it ends up being more than a couple. Kellyn drags me to practically every extreme ride that this place has, with no stopping in between. After the Pendulum is the Sky Drop tower, then there's the Lickilicky Gyro tower and the Tornadus Hurricane, and after that are more roller coasters.

I feel like hurling through every one of them, but I manage to get through them until after the third roller coaster we go on. As we walk away from it (or stumble, in my case), I finally tell Kellyn that there is no way I'm getting on another one.

"I'm surprised, actually. You lasted through, what, six or seven of those rides?" Kellyn chuckles. "I expected you to break down a lot sooner."

I glare at him. "Not funny. We're not doing those for the rest of the day! I don't care if we do something else, but not the extremes!"

"Okay, then how about the Teacups?" He points to his right. I look over, seeing people sitting in large teacups and spinning around at a relatively slow speed. It doesn't seem that bad...

"Fine."

...

I take it back. Teacups are bad. Especially when you have Kellyn spinning the wheel inside to make the cup spin faster and faster until everything around you turns into a blur.

"KELLYN!" I shout, holding onto the rim of the cup for dear life. "STOP THAT!"

I can't see him, since my eyes are squeezed shut, but I can hear his light laughter. "No way! This is fun!"

"I swear, when we get off, you're going to get it!"

...

After I force Kellyn to take a break so I can recover, we go to the Poké-Bumpers.

"Ow! Hey!" Kellyn complains as I bump into his Pupitar car with my Rhyhorn one. I have a chance to snicker before he runs into me, causing my car to recoil back with a semi-spin.

"Oh, it's on!" I declare as I chase him around the arena, each of us trying to hit the other.

After I get my revenge on him, there's nothing in our immediate area that I will agree to do, so we walk around to see what to do next. Somewhere along the line, he buys me vanilla-flavored Vanillite ice cream, and a chocolate one for himself. We then head for the merry-go-round. It feels good to finally be on a ride that's slow and steady.

"Hey, Kellyn," I say, looking over to him as I sit on an inanimate Rapidash.

"Hm?" He faces me from the Arcanine he's riding, showing me a smile that hasn't left his face since the beginning of this.

I flush and look away. "...Never mind."

After the merry-go-round, we play a few carnival games. Some involve shooting a toy gun or water gun, while others are a game of chance. Of course, Kellyn comes out as the victor of all of them... Typical.

I pout and turn away from him as he picks a prize from the booth. "What's the point of playing if you're going to win everything?"

"... Grow up."

I give him the silence treatment. I then hear him sigh before a Pachirisu plushy suddenly dangles in front of my face. "Happy now?"

I blink. I try to resist the urge to immediately make a grab for it, but it's just too cute! "It' so adorable~!" I squeal as I give it a tight hug, immediately dropping that fact that I was upset.

"Glad you like it," Kellyn chuckles, then looks around. "It's getting dark..."

At that, I look up and see the setting sun. I didn't realize just how long we'd been here until now. "We should probably head back to Ranger HQ and-"

"Wait." Kellyn interrupts for the umpteenth time today. "One more."

"Huh? But..." I look at him, only to see him staring at a flashy Ferris wheel.

I sigh in defeat. "Fine... but this is the last one."

Kellyn grins and leads me to the checkpoint for the ride. We get into a compartment and wait for the Ferris wheel to start. Once it does, and we get higher and higher, I can't help but be in awe of the view as I press my hands against the glass window.

"Look Kellyn!" I exclaim like a child. "We can see everything from here! Altru Tower and even the Union!"

"Kate, come here and look at this."

"What is it?" I move over to where he is sitting and look out. The setting sun is sparkling off of the ocean's surface, causing reddish-orange lights to dance on the water. The view is simply breath-taking. That one moment feels like it could stretch on for eternity – just us sitting here, enjoying the view.

"Wow~!" I breathe out. We watch on in silence as our compartment reach the apex and we get the entire view, shimmering water meeting the rough, light-dotted mass of the land.

"...Kate." Kellyn says, snapping me out of my daze.

I look to my right, only to realize just how close we are – our shoulders are borderline brushing each other! I can't help but feel a blush creeping up onto my face. "Y-yeah?"

He stares back at me with a serious look, but then returns his gaze to the view outside of the window. Maybe I'm imagining it, but I think I saw a slight pink dusting his cheeks.

"I've been... thinking..." he continues slowly. "And I think I made up my mind."

"...About what?" I ask, tilting my head to the side.

He looks hesitant and sighs, scratching his head. "Well... there's... there's something I would like you to hear."

"Then I'm all ears!" I pipe. The way he's talking is making me think it might be something serious, but Kellyn always make things serious...

He gives me a look. "Do you even know what I'm going to say?"

"Nope!" I answer with a smile. "But if it's anything that I could help with, then I'm more than willing to help!"

Kellyn sighs again. "You're too absentminded."

I keep my smile, but raise an eyebrow, my expression probably looking somewhat maniacal. "I'm sorry, but is that what you wanted me to hear?"

"...No..."

"Good, because I would have thrown you out of here if it was," I say happily.

Kellyn laughs. "As if you could!"

My eyes immediately flash mischievously. "Oh yeah?" I make a lunge for him, but as luck would have it, my foot gets caught on the edge of the seat and I fall forward.

_CRASH!_

"..." The two of us blink at each other, wide-eyed.

_D-d-did we j-just-_ My mind replays the scene that just happened. I tripped. Kellyn tried to catch me. Our _lips_ brushed against each other just as we hit the corner – or rather, Kellyn hit it with me in his arms.

Holy. Arceus.

I quickly separate myself from him and put as much distance between us as the compartment will allow, my face burning up. I could just dig myself a hole a stay in there for the rest of eternity. "I-I... W-what just- t-that's..."

Kellyn just sits there, shocked, with tinges of pink on his cheeks.

"I-I-I..." I try to find words to say, but they all end up being tangled as my heart races a mile a minute. "S-s-sorry! I-I-I d-didn't m-mean to do t-that!"

I suddenly wish this ride would be over already.

When Kellyn doesn't reply, I laugh nervously, tugging at my collar and fanning my steaming face. "Hahaha... I-I wo-wonder if w-we're getting off a-anytime s-soon."

He still hasn't said anything, which is making the situation more awkward than it already is._ Say something!_

As if on cue, Kellyn finally opens his mouth.

"Kate."

I tense up. "Y-yeah...?"

"Was that your first?"

"...Eh?" I pipe, dumbfounded that that would be the first thing he says. But then again, what did I expect him to say? Kellyn is the type to settle matters calmly. He's not the type to make jokes about things like this.

"Was that your first... kiss..." he repeats.

I blush immediately and look down, fiddling with my fingers. "Y-yeah..."

I hear him sigh... in relief? That's... weird...

"Anyway..." he continues. "...Let's put that aside for now."

I look at him. Blink a few times. Then I finally do a double take. "_What?!_" How could he just... overlook_ that?!_ Is what he's going to say more important than that?!

"As I said. It's something that's been on my mind, and I need to tell you, to get this out."

"O-Okay..."

He looks at me again, making my heart skip a beat. His eyes show nothing but seriousness, telling me silently that what he is going to say is not to be taken as a joke.

"Kate, I want to tell you that I-"

_BOOM!_

* * *

**Heh, I know this chapter is short and that there's a cliffhanger(again :D) but I _do _hope that the _content _is enough to satisfy ya'll enough to spare me XD**

**Okay guys, I may need more reviews for this chapter to see how it went. This is one of those chapters that I really want criticism for since I was never good at writing in the romance department...**


	31. Chapter 31 - HQ Raid

**Ah whatever. I'll just throw this in. There was supposed to be more but I decided to cut it in half (AKA I haven't finish the other half yet 'cause I got lazy - _really_ lazy) and it's been a month. If I don't throw in something now then I don't know when I would.**

**Reviews:**

_**Guest - Haha... sorry - throws in new chapter - enjoy~**_

_**Devilboy58 - (Thumbs up) Glad you like it :)**_

_**TheKeyToDestiny - XD you're right but I couldn't think of anything else to interrupt them and steering back to the plot.**_

_**The Lady of Dragons - Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Ah, I see. Truthfully, I was debatting of writing some of it in Kellyn's POV but decided to stayed in Kate's. That's me being lazy on the switch XD**_

_**Reaper789 - How about both? :D**_

_**starchasersemerald - And then it turns out to be... (Read the chapter)**_

_**B2KatxCurtis - Really? Though I never read your stories before but thanks XD**_

_**caird56 - 3 I'm glad you like it. Nah, blowing up the world is too extreme... or is it? o-o**_

_**May845 - o-o Point Taken, Kellyn might be made because I made him get cut off. -hides-**_

_**sapphire53 - Thanks for the input and I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter! ^^**_

_**Nighttyger - You know me, I'm not good with romances :D**_

**Thanks for reviewing last chapter. I really appreciate the inputs! Now, onto the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

Kate's POV

BOOM!

Kellyn and I strain to look out the window, seeing smoking rising from afar. I squint, recognizing the source as where the Ranger HQ is located. I'm about to say something about it when a beeping cuts me off.

It doesn't sound like it's from my device, and I'm right. I look over to see Kellyn taking out his Fine Styler and answering a call.

"Kellyn!" a familiar voice comes in, filled with worry, though there's an overlay of static. "Thank goodness this is getting through!"

"Rhythmi, what's going on?" Kellyn immediately asks. Upon hearing the name, I brighten up instantly. Rhythmi!

"Headquarters is under siege," Rhythmi answers urgently, followed with a cough. "We're trying to reach all of the Rangers on standby and tell them to come as quick as possible!"

Kellyn nods. "Right. We'll be on our way."

"That's good, we need as- Wait, we? Were you patrolling with someone? You usually do it alone..."

"Hiya Rhyth!" I can't help myself.

There is a brief moment of silence before Rhythmi actually says anything. "...I swear, the explosion from earlier is making me hallucinate. I thought I just heard Kate!"

I snicker, prompting a look from Kellyn.

"Anyhow, we'll come right over. Stay safe." With that, he cuts the transmission off and stands up. "Let's continue off where we were later."

I tilt my head in confusion. "What were you going to say anyways?"

Kellyn breaks the door to the carriage open before looking over to me. "If I say it now, there'd be no point in saying it later." He then jumps off. It's convenient that we were on are way down – the drop isn't that large. I follow suit, which startles the operator of the Ferris wheel.

"Sorry about that!" I holler an apology as I follow after Kellyn.

* * *

Things are bad. Really bad. When we arrive by Staraptor, we can clearly see the giant hole where the operation room is and smoke pouring out of the smoldering wreck.

Taking a leap, Kellyn and I both unmount from our respective Staraptor and land in the rubble of the room.

Immediately, we are faced with people running about panicking while the alarms blare in our ears. From the corner of my eye, I notice a frosty mist coming down the malfunctioning escalator.

I feel a familiar tug at my mind, and my sight seems to be taken over. Screams, cries, chaos is all that rings in my ears as I see a dark figure fading into the shadows of a dark mist, taking its victims along. Those victims... they look familiar...

"Well, well, well." A nonchalant jeer snaps me out of the vision that Celebi had presented to me, causing me to clutch my head for a second. "Looks like someone finally came to save the day."

"Ice," Kellyn growls, moving into a fighting stance. I look at him, baffled, before switching my gaze to this Ice person. His appearance fits his name. Spiky blue hair and blue clothes, add in that cold smirk – yep. Definitely icy.

He catches me staring and I take note of the slightest dilating of his eyes before he returns to his calm demeanor. He casts me a smirk. "Ah, Kate Hitomi, was it?"

My own eyes widen. "How do you know my name? We've never even met before!"

"I heard about you," he answers, tossing a blue, teardrop-shaped gemstone in his hand carelessly. Is that...? "Our leader talks about you a lot recently. Though... I don't really understand why. You seem like no one special."

I ignore his offhanded insult and instead keep looking at the gem, feeling dread washing over me.

"What are you doing to do with that?" I ask, glaring.

"...Steal it?" Ice shoots back. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Give it back," Kellyn demands, stepping forward.

Ice twirls the gem on his finger tip. "Can't do that. Our leader wants this and the two others, so we'll be taking them."

With a snap of his fingers, a Garchomp breaks through the ceiling and lands right in front of us. I wonder how he is able to control the Pokémon without a Gigaremo; there isn't even a portable one around.

My gaze focuses in on the hand he used to snap and notices a black bracelet. I can literally see the eerie, threatening miasma that it's giving off, giving me chills. Something in my mind alerts me to the danger I'm in before an excruciating headache rises in my head, distracting me.

* * *

Kellyn's POV

I notice Kate's troubled face and her trembling figure as the Garchomp shifts in front of us, getting ready to attack.

"Kate, stay here," I say to her. She doesn't look like she could fight at the moment, though she was fine moments ago.

I brandish my Fine Styler as Ice smirks at me.

"Garchomp, have at him."

I shift to the side as Garchomp charges towards me. I click my tongue, knowing that the Pokémon is part ground. That means that Pachirisu's electric-type attacks won't be of any assistance. I can't exactly move around in this cramped space either, and the risk of endangering others heightens in places like this.

I need lead this Garchomp to an open space, but then- wait, where's Kate?

"Oi, Top Ranger," Ice hollers. I look to where he is, my eyes dilating within seconds at the person he is carrying.

"Kate!" My call goes unanswered. She's unconscious.

Ice sneers at me. "You're easy to distract, aren't you?"

...What?

There's no time to think about his words, or the sense of danger that I feel immediately afterward. Instinctively, I duck, avoiding a Dragon Tail from the Garchomp. How did I forget that he was there that fast?

I form a blue sphere in my palm and aim it at the dragon/ground-type. It hits a little off from where I aimed it – still need to work on that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ice turning his back to me. "I killed two Pidgey with one stone. I'm done here." With a leap, he dives down out of the hole in the building. He disappears from view, but then comes back into sight, standing on top of an aircraft.

"I'll see you at Altru Tower, no?" Ice jeers. "If you make it out alive, that is. I put a bomb somewhere in that building. Find it within an hour – well, certainly less at this point – or say your prayers."

"What?!"

"Oh, and Garchomp, distract him while you're there."

A rambunctious roar comes from said Pokémon as he charges at me, leaving me to fend him off while Ice disappears into the distance with the Gem... and Kate.

I can't even watch as Kate is taken away again.

I swear to Arceus, I'm going to slaughter him.

...Not now though. I have a Garchomp and a bomb to deal with.

* * *

Keith's POV

"I can't believe this!" I shout to the sky once I make my way back to the Union. "That... that chick ambushed me and took the Red Gem!"

Replaying the scene in my head, the pink-haired lady just came out of nowhere and forced me down, restraining my Pokémon pals as well. Not only did she take the gem right before m eyes, she stuck her tongue out at me!

"Talk about childish," I mutter.

"Flar!" Flareon jumps at my side, gaining my attention. She motions at the sky ahead, and I follow her gaze. I see smoke rising up in the distance and an aircraft flying away, and immediately putting me on alert.

My Pokémon and I run through the forest while I try to contact Rhythmi or one of the other Operators at the base. No such luck – it only shows me a static-filled screen.

When I arrive at the entrance of HQ, I look up to see a portion of the building destroyed. I race in with my Pokémon in tow and run up the escalators – they aren't working anyways.

I reach the floor with a portion missing and see Kellyn fighting a Garchomp – one-on-one.

...Was that an Aura Sphere he threw?

I push that to the back of my mind, saving it for later thinking. "Oi, Kellyn!"

My friend spares a glance at me before ducking under a Dragon Claw. "A little help with Garchomp if you don't mind!"

"Right." I pull my Fine Styler out with a flourish and fire the capture disc while Kellyn distracts the Pokémon, but it notices me anyway, throwing a glare at me.

"Uh oh," I say just before the Garchomp charges at me with a Dragon Rush. I cartwheel off to the side, landing in a crouch, wincing as the Pokémon crashes into a wall. But he seems fine when he pulls back, giving a couple of roars before charging up a Hyper Beam.

"Oh crap!" I exclaim, knowing this building isn't built to absorb Pokémon attacks that well – if at all. Which, come to think of it, was probably a bad idea. "Buizel, Flareon, attack and get its attention!"

A couple of Embers and Water Guns later, Garchomp only seems even more pissed. Trying one more time, I guide the capture disc with my index and middle finger.

"Keith, you deal with this while I go find the bomb."

"Roger tha- wait WHAT?!" I exclaim incredulously as Kellyn's bit of information of information registers. "Did you just say a bomb?!"

"Yeah," Kellyn answers as he runs past me with... eyes closed? What the hell is he thinking?!

Before I mull over it some more, a certain out-of-control dragon needs my attention. I quickly guide my disc away from being crushed under Garchomp's foot and roll away from a Dragon Pulse.

I hear groans from under the table I roll next to and look behind it to see Rhythmi. She's massaging her head and brushing the rubble off her shoulders.

"Rhythmi, are you okay?" I ask.

The blonde looks up and beams at me before lunging at me with a hug. "Keith! You're back!"

"Okay, good to see you too, but you need to get- Duck!" I push her forward, falling along with her as Garchomp crushes the table in two.

"The Operation Room is going to be destroyed at this rate!" Rhythmi shrieks. "Keith, do something!"

"What do you think I'm doing right now?!" I snap back as I turn my attention back to the dragon/ground-type. "Buizel, Flareon, try to slow Garchomp down somehow – and try to prevent him from using any more attacks that could wreck the building!"

I take a valuable moment of distraction to recover, then, judging the right moment and time, I swipe my hand, guiding the disc to circle around Garchomp. It seems to have notice the disc, however, so I jerk it away, out of harm's reach. Since when has it become this hard to capture a hypnotized Pokémon?

I move around again, leading Garchomp away from Rhythmi while trying to find an opening. Once I do, I take the chance to quickly made several loops until a bright circle forms and encases the dragon in a flash of light.

I sigh in relief once the capture succeeds. "Capture complete..."

The Garchomp shakes its head and looks around in puzzlement. Can't blame it for that, but... As I look around, I see sparks flying from the controls and dents on the monitors. How much is the repair going to cost?

"Hey Linda, Marcus, wake up!" I hear Rhythmi call. I make my way over to see the blonde hovering over said Operators in worry. I survey the room again, realizing that we were the only ones in here.

When Linda comes to, she groans and slowly sits up. "W-wha... what happened?"

"I would like to know that too." Marcus grimaces, probably from a headache.

"Team Dim Sun attacked when we least expected," Rhythmi informs them gravely. "One of them, a guy with blue spiky hair, destroyed a chunk of the Operation room and waltzed in as if this was his house! His henchmen took Issac away, and I don't remember much after that since I got knocked out after contacting Kellyn."

At least I know the situation now, but... "Issac?"

The three Operators exchange looks.

"He uh..." Marcus rubs the nape of his neck awkwardly. "Kind of... used to work for... Team Dim Sun."

I blink several times at this piece of news. It takes a few moments for my brain to process it before my jaw drops. "HE WHAT?!"

"But he was tricked into it! Sven breached the old oil station that he was working in, and after thorough investigation, he really was tricked! He didn't even know he was working for the organization in the first place! They even convinced him that it was for the greater good of society!"

My eye twitches as I glare. "Shouldn't he have gotten suspicious at some point?!"

Rhythmi laughs light-heartedly, despite what happened. "Well... you know him. He kind of gets lost in his work."

I facepalm. Brainiacs will always be brainiacs.

Sighing in exasperation, I wave Marcus off as I put my head in my hand. "Right, right. Now's not the time for this. We've got something worse to worry about. Kellyn's trying to disarm a bomb with his eyes closed, for Arceus's sake."

That seems to get their attention.

"A BOMB?!" Linda explodes.

"How can you be so calm about it?!" Rhythmi exclaims in panic.

"Wait, with his eyes closed?!" Marcus queries. "How's that possible?!"

I shrug to answer both questions. "Knowing Kellyn, he's bound to... do something unexpected."

Linda pulls her hair in frustration. "Where's Chairperson Erma and Professor Hastings?!" She rushes over to one of the miraculously-still-working controls and starts to type in commands. "Go find them and help Kellyn! I don't want to be one of the reasons that bomb goes off!"

The other two weave through to rubble to work as well.

"I'm going to check if Chairperson Erma and Prof. Hastings are alive," I decide before leaving.

"Don't say something like that!" Rhythmi shouts, but I ignore her.

Geez, first the Gem, then the Union, and now a bomb? This is a pain.

There is a sudden impact, and I lose my balance because of it. I let out a yelp as I fall and look out the shattered windows on the floor down from where I was originally.

If my eyes aren't fooling me, which could very well be the case with everything that's happened, that is Regigigas standing outside. I groan tiredly. "What now?"

* * *

Lunick's POV

I feel a little dizzy. Scratch that. I feel outright nauseous. "Why... did we teleport again?"

Solana half-rolls her eyes, despite the exhaustion we both feel. "How else do you think we were supposed to transport Regigigas overseas?"

"Point taken," I answer, shaking my head to drive away the nausea. As I do so, I catch a glimpse of something very unusual. "Hey... Has there always been a hole in the Union?"

"...No?" She looks up in the direction I did, and our eyes both widen in shock.

"Hey! You two!"

"Huh?" I pipe in confusion and look to my left, seeing Keith waving at us through shattered windows. "'Sup Keith?"

"You," he starts, pointing at the Pokémon whose shoulder we are currently using as a platform. "Where the hell did you..." His jaw drops as he looks behind us. "...Where did you get Regigigas and Cresselia?"

"Long story," Solana replies, looking grave. "What's going on here?"

"Well," Keith replies, surprisingly casual. "There's this bomb... and Kellyn's trying to find it with his eyes closed."

I blink, dumbfounded. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I know, he's weird sometimes. But whatever works for him, I guess." Keith leans against the side of the now glass-less window, smirking. "Our little brother hasn't changed, has he?"

"There's a bomb?!" Solana exclaims, tugging at my arm as we hop off of Regigigas and onto the third floor while I just stare at Keith. He... He knows too?

After a moment, I settle on a grin and ruffle his hair.

"Hey!"

"You haven't either."

Solana rolls her eyes. "Not now you guys. We need to prevent this building from exploding!"

"You three, out of the way!"

"Huh?" All three of us turn to the source to see Kellyn charging towards us with something in his hand. As he nears us, Kellyn throws the item out the window and pulls us down as a thunderous BOOM sounds from outside, shaking the air around us.

"What. The. Hell," Keith mutters, sitting up.

I follow suit, looking out the window to see a cloud of smoke decorating the sky. As I watch it billow upward, Cresselia floats down, back into view, having presumably teleported away, while Regigigas just sits there unfazed. "...What just happened?"

"There was... no way... to dismantle that bomb..." Kellyn answers in between breaths. "...without it detonating. So I decided to just cut off the wires and throw it where it wouldn't blow up anything."

"Oi, that was pretty fast," Keith remarks. "Did ya really find it with your eyes closed?"

"...Kind of."

"...How?"

Kellyn dusts off his clothes as he stands up. "Aura. I'll explain later. Right now, we have to rescue Kate and get the Gems back."

I agree with a nod, only to stop halfway. "What? Did you just..."

"Did you just say Kate?" Keith asks, finishing my thought. "My ears might still be ringing."

"You found her?" Solana asks with a look of relief before it twists into worry. "Wait... does that mean she's been kidnapped?!"

Kellyn nods. "I found her unconscious in Vien Forest, but she came to minutes after. We rushed back here when Rhythmi contacted me and said that the Union was under attack by Team Dim Sun. They stole the Blue Gem and took Kate when our guard was down."

"They... what?!" I seethe, clenching my fists.

Solana rests a hand on my shoulder, making me look over to her.

"We can't do anything rash until we make a plan."

"What?!" Keith flares. "How about we just storm in there and rip that place to shreds until they cough Kate and the Gems back out?!"

Solana shakes her head sternly. "Not going to work. We'll only waltz right into whatever trap they've set like that. I thought you would have learned to cool your head by now. You've had a millennium, for Arceus's sake!"

I notice that Kellyn looks unfazed by Solana's comment. Huh. He must have learned about... everything too.

He sighs. "As much as I hate to admit it, Solana's right. We can't rush in recklessly, lest we want to play right into their hands."

Keith click his tongue in annoyance. "Fine. What do you suggest we do then?"

"You guys," Rhythmi shouts as she comes in running. How she is doing that in a pencil skirt is beyond me. "Sven and Wendy just contacted us. They said that they, Chairperson Erma and the Professor were trapped in the Research Facility when they were ambushed by a man with yellow hair and yellow clothing."

"...That would be Heath," I mutter through grit teeth. "Why I oughta..."

Solana shakes her head. "Let's get them out first."

..

Prof. Hastings strokes his beard as he paces back and forth. "I can't believe this! All of this, happening before I even commenced Operation Brighton!"

"...What now?" Keith raises a brow.

We are currently in the Research Facility, where everything is, surprisingly, intact. Guess Team Dim Sun merely wanted them to keep away from HQ. And since the Operation Room is completely in ruins, the Research Facility has become the temporary Operator headquarters. All of the Rangers, both Top and Area, who are available are gathered here as well, which consists of the Rangers at Vien Base, and the six Top Rangers currently at home base – us, Wendy, And Sven.

In response to Keith's question, Professor Hastings marches over to a computer and pulls up a screen. "During your trips to your respective places, we managed to decipher more of the diary, the last entry being this."

_xx day xx month_

_Something was happening with the Shadow Crystal. I could see a dark miasma looming over it, but before I had time to investigate what it could be, something changed drastically in my son._

_Drake has always been a diligent worker, and never prone to anger. But when he turned sixteen, he kicked me out of my own company, vowing to never let anyone get in his way of world domination. Even me, his own father. His words crushed me. And right then, I could see that same miasma looming over him, like a horrible omen of what he will do._

_I could only watch as my one and only son fell deep into the nightmare that I have unleashed. That the Shadow Crystal contained._

"...World... domination?" I repeat the words bitterly. It brings back bad memories, memories of the old times, where a similar situation unfolded, except it was the old King that had fallen to whatever was in the Crystal.

Is history going to repeat itself?

"Unbelievable!" Barlow exclaims. "How can one man achieve that?"

"He has the Altru Tower for that," Prof Hastings informs us. "The entire building is structured so that it acts like an oversized Gigaremo. So world domination, for him, isn't so far-fetched."

"That's..." Wendy shivers. "horrifying."

Sven balls up his fists. "We have to do something to stop him from turning every Pokémon in the world into mindless slaves!"

We all nod in agreement with that.

Prof. Hastings taps his cane on the floor to gain everyone's attention. "Issac had all the information to do with this giant machine, even the name, but he's been taken, along with Melody and Kate. Not to mention the Gems as well – they're the only things that can stop this." He taps his cane again, coming to a conclusion. "All right. These will be the new objectives of Operation Brighton, named after the diary's author. We will rescue the captured and retrieve the Tears of the Princes. The overall objective will be to stop this machine. Are you all with me?"

A chorus of encouraged yes's travel across the room, which brings a smile to the old Professor's face, despite everything that has happened.

"From what I gathered, Altru Tower, or the Incredible Machine, is powered by the Shadow Crystal. But the Crystal's power is determined by its proximity to the three Tears. Three of you will fly overhead, where the Shadow Crystal will be placed in order for it to have the most effect, to keep an eye on it. The rest will be infiltrating the tower to retrieve our allies and the Gems. Once we have the Gems in hand, the chosen three from before will take the Gems and circle close to the Shadow Crystal to purify it. That should be able to foil Blake's plans."

Keith grits his teeth as his face turns grave; Kellyn, Solana, and I do the same. All four of us know that it won't be that simple. The enemy isn't just Blake, but something greater.

"Tch." Kellyn clicks his tongue. "We can't let it happen again."

The three of us all nod in silent agreement. We all know that we are facing an enemy that dates back to a millennium ago.

"Sven, Wendy, Solana. You three will be our flyers," Prof. Hastings decides. "The rest of you will be doing the infiltrating and rescues."

Keith and Kellyn exchange looks with me and Solana, having a conversation of our own. We don't know if we should separate.

"Go," Solana decides for us. "They can't have Kate. Or else... she'll... she'll disappear for good this time."

* * *

Kate's POV

Dark. It's the only way I can describe my surroundings. Everything is filled with a hollow darkness that seems to be draining me of my soul. I try to move my arms and legs, only to find them restrained. I feel as if I'm being chained against a wall...

I feel tired. Really tired... I just want to go to sleep.

_"...ate... Ka...te... Kate!"_

I crack open my eyes again at the voice. It sounds so soothing, and it fills my body with a warm light.

"...Celebi?" I mumble groggily. Gah... Why do I feel so tired?

_"You can't!"_ A ball of lime-green light appears before me, brightening my surroundings a bit, even though it doesn't have much effect overall._ "Don't give in Kate. Or you'll never come back!"_

"But... I don't... want to go back..." I mumble sleepily. Why would I go back? I don't want this burden. I don't want to relive again and again, only to die again and again. To always greet Death at his doors, only to be pulled back into the living... I don't want that. "...I'm tired..."

_"Kate! Wake up! You can't let them control time!"_

I sigh. I can't think straight. And who is this 'them' that Celebi is talking about? Are they the ones who keep going after Celebi and me?

An eerie cackle crosses my sluggish mind. "Who's... there?"

_"Ah, you so can hear me,"_ The voice echoes in my mind. _"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get your wish granted. Once your life is absorbed, Celebi's powers will be mine."_

I lift my gaze up, seeing a looming shadow with hollow blue eyes. Only one thing comes to my mind before I fall back to sleep.

"You look... miserable..."

* * *

**Annnddd... Kate leaves again =w= /shot**


	32. Chapter 32 - The Trio's Tests

**Okay, hi! Sorry for not updating this for so long...**

**-pulls sleeves up in front of keyboard- I'm going to finish this. Or try to. It's near the end anyways so probably only a few chapters away.**

**So I'm going to be upping chapters once I finish them (Probably weekly. _PROBABLY_.) Be on the look out of cringe-worthy grammar mistakes and then some XP**

**Oh, and I'm writing in kind of a third person since I'm getting used to that... I'm really sorry if it troubles you from the POV switching.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

Three rangers stands defiantly in front of Altru Tower. On the rooftop, they could see the visible barriers that surrounds it. With the looming dark clouds that have snakes of lightning running through them, it really feel like they are facing the tower of horror.

Keith frowns. "Say… why can't we just have Regigigas knock down this hunk of junk again?"

Kellyn looks at him as if he grew two heads. "Do you want to kill Kate along with this thing?"

"Oh." Keith brings his fist into his palm. "That's right."

Lunick laughs while Kellyn has the look that clearly screams that he wants to strangle Keith to death for saying something like that.

"Okay, what's the plan?"

"I say we should just charge right in the front door!" Keith suggests with a fist thrusting forward.

"No," Kellyn rejects without a second thought, looking up at the tower. "Don't tell me you can't detect your own Gem."

"Oh… right." Lunick murmurs. "I think mine is on the fifth floor."

"Third for me." Keith provides.

"... Seventh." Kellyn says sometimes later, then closes his eyes. "And… Kate's on the eighth!"

Lunick does a low whistle. "Looks like we're splitting up then."

The three rangers exchange a look of mutual agreement.

"Kellyn, don't try to be the hero and save Kate by yourself." Keith warns, knowing his brother/friend too well. "I want in on whoever tried this on our to-be-little sister."

"Hey..." Kellyn narrows his eyes at him.

Lunick shakes his head with a smile. "He's right though. Don't do anything reckless alright Kel?"

"Fine." Kellyn agrees finally, and looks back at the tower. "We should go now."

"Well, since I'm the lowest, I should just go through the front door." Keith remarks, his eyes sparkles with enthusiasm. "I can also attract the attention away."

Kellyn sighs in defeat. "Do whatever you want."

Keith grins, "I knew you would see it my way." He make his way to the automatic door. As expected it's locked.

"Flareon, burn it."

…

After Keith causes a commotion in the lobby, Kellyn and Lunick have no trouble going onto their respective floors through the stairs. They met a few obstacles while going up but it isn't as much trouble as they would be stopped by it.

When Kellyn makes it up to the seventh floor, it is completely deserted. There are electric grids on the floor, preventing invaders from going through.

"Pachirisu, Thundershock and overload these grids." Kellyn commands after a glance at the obstacles.

"Chupa!" His partner oblige and immediately got to work.

Kellyn has an unsettling feeling as the process went smoothly. Too smoothly. Shouldn't there be at least some Pokemon guarding the place? Even if there is a distraction a few floors below, there should still be some grunts and Pokemon left to guard.

His awareness became sharper afterwards, not letting any surprise attacks faze him. However, after a while of surveying around, he confirm that there is nothing on this floor.

"What is going on?" Once Pachirisu climbs back on his shoulder, Kellyn starts to look around, as carefully as he ever is.

It is so still that he actually wish that there is someone to block his way.

Of course, that didn't happen. Instead, he found himself standing in front of another door. THe only one on this entire floor.

He looks at the keypad on the side, indicating that he needs to enter a password to get in.

"Hm…" He walks up to it and takes out a screwdriver, then he starts to fiddle with the controls after managing to take it apart.

He connects and reconnects the wire to control pad until he gets the right combination, which allows the door to open.

"There," once he's done, he didn't bother to return the keypad to the way it is and walk right into the room.

When he went in, his eyes settle on the brightest object in the room - which is also the sole thing that gives light to the place. It is an enormous blue sphere with electricity charged into in. And within the sphere, where the electricity is being absorbed into is - "The Blue Gem!"

RIght after he says that, clapping sounds out of nowhere, which brings Kellyn back to alertness now that he knows he isn't alone.

"I'm impressed." A familiar voice muse. "I guess they don't call you a genius for nothing."

"Ice." Kellyn spats with distaste when he recognizes the voice that had attacked him and Kate not long ago.

"Oh, so you still remember me. I'm honored, _Your Highness_." Ice smirks, his icy cold eyes having a trace of mysteriousness glow to them.

"... You…" Kellyn gets into a defensive stance, his suspicious glare seems to be trying to pierce into his opponent. "Just who are you?"

"Just your average joe," Ice replies with a noncommittal shrug. He place a hand back into his coat pocket while the other held his chin; the curve of his lips signalling that he's amused. "Ah, but that's probably not the answer you want is it?"

"..."

Ice laughs lightly, as if this is all fun and game.

"Tell you what," he snaps his finger, bring a clear _snap_ echoing throughout the room. Immediately, a Gallade appears, with none other than Isaac with Gallade's blade placed threateningly closed to his throat.

Issac is as paled as sheet, but his panicked gaze is on his friend rather than the blade that's about to behead him. "K-Kellyn-! Melody - she - I -"

"Shush." Ice demanded ever so-subtly yet authoritatively. Isaac couldn't help but agree because of the domineering demeanor. Ice return his attention to Kellyn, "Now, where am I - oh, right - If you can defeat me, he's free and I'll even hand over the gem. If not…"

He intentionally trails off and discreetly observe Kellyn's reactions.

Said person only narrow his glare even more. Kellyn wants nothing more but to give Ice a good beating, but he force himself to calm down and focus. He shouldn't let the enemy get to him, that would only do more harm than good.

What he wants to know the most is what Ice is trying to play at. He's one of the more difficult type of people to read and deal with. Ice is - at this point - unpredictable.

_Release Issac and even willingly handover the Blue Gem?_ No matter how Kellyn goes about it, it doesn't make sense. Isn't the Blue Gem something of importance to the whole taking over the world thing? Maybe he has a back up place…

Silently observing Kellyn's expression, Ice smirks. He then laughs out loud, catching the Top Ranger's attention.

"Not the type to rush in I see." Ice claps his hands a few times in applause. "Good, but you really don't need to overthink anything at all. I am someone who keeps his words."

"... What?"

"Not convinced?" Ice sighed in exasperation. "There's really nothing I can do about it. How about we fight since words seems to be useless in this situation."

"... Fine." Kellyn replies after a while, preparing his Styler.

Ice tsk'ed a few times with a wag of his finger, couple with a shake of his head. "No, no, no. Not like that. I mean this."

Kelln's eyes widens, reflecting what he sees in front of him.

A sphere of Aura.

* * *

_"...ate...Wa... up!"_

"So sleepy..." She mumbles, her eye lids too heavy for her to lift open. She tries to move but something is binding her. Well, it's not like she wants to anyways. She just sleep... maybe stay like that for -

_"Kate, you can't!"_

"Why not?" Kate asks slowly to the omnipresent voice, then opens her eyes with difficulty. Even with all of the strength she could muster, she is only able to barely keep herself conscious.

_"Kate!"_ The urgent voice sounds distant, more and more so with each passing second as if the owner is being taken away. But that didn't concern her as much as what she is seeing before her eyes.

"Mom? Dad? Lila?"

And the dark world spin into colors.

* * *

_Boom!_

Lunick is send flying out where he came from, though he is sensible enough to secure Minun in front of him so that the Pokemon didn't receive much of an impact like him with the wall.

He lets out a hiss of pain, along with a grimace.

As you can see, Lunick is not having a good day.

After taking care for the grunts guarded the floor and helped the mind-controlled Pokemon, he is prepare for some kind of boss behind the last door he hasn't visited.

He did not expect to find Heath already waiting for him and is thrown when he suddenly brought a fist forward. Knowing that the distance between him and Heath wasn't close enough for the punch to make contact, Lunick did not bother to dodge.

Boy, did he regret that decision a second afterwards - since it led him to current situation. The seemingly harmless assault itself didn't reach - like he anticipated - but the _shockwave_ did. It was also forceful enough to knock the wind out of him - and more.

He knew, in the back of his mind, that the speed at which Heath threw the punch is fast enough to break the sound barrier - which leads to the boom part.

The question is,_ how the hell did he do that?_

Humans doesn't achieve the sound barrier by raw speed alone, at least that's what Lunick thought until now.

He wipes the chilling sweat from his cheeks. _If that punch have connected…_

Lunick involuntarily shivers at the thought. Heath's strength shouldn't be any inferior to the speed of his attacks.

"Min…?" His Pokemon Partner asks in concern, hopping off from Lunick's chest.

"I'm alright." The Pokemon Ranger informs Minun with what look more like a forced smile than anything else.

"HAHAHA!" The superhuman laughs loudly, standing in front of the entrance like an unmovable wall. "So how do ya like them apples? Impressive eh?"

Lunick chuckles dryly and picks himself up. "Yeah. Did you get your hands on some super strong steroids or something?"

He cracks his neck and rotate on of his shoulder with his free arm securing the joints, wincing all the while. "Man, that _hurts_!"

"No steroids! That was all me!" Heath grins and puffs his chest out proudly. "I can confidently say that there are few beings on the entire Earth can match me in turns of attack speed and raw strength!"

"I see…" Lunick is seriously having second thoughts right about now. He can deal with Team Go Squad, mind-control, that Rhyperior right behind Heath, the end of the world, but he can't go against a guy with that kind of monstrous physical strength!

"Just wondering, do you have any weaknesses?"

Heath deadpans at him. "Are you seriously _me_ asking that?"

Lunick shrugs helplessly. "It was worth the try."_ He's sensible too… dammit, which can't he be one of those idiots who's all brawn but no brains?_

He regrets assigning Regigigas to the team that deals with mind-controlled Pokemon region-wide.

Serveral seconds pass between them, both sides waiting for the other to do something other than standing there.

"Um…" Lunick starts, feeling that the silence is getting a bit awkward "Minun, try a Thunder Wave?"

Wordless, the electric type comply. And knowing how sturdy the human is, Minun didn't hesitate to attack as well.

The sizzling electricity went straight…. then _curves around_ Heath and lands right on Rhyperior's horn.

"..." Lunick sighs. He should have known.

"Why are you relying on your Pokemon?" Heath asks as if there is something obviously wrong with Lunick's action.

"Are you kidding me?" Lunick's eye twitch. "How else am I suppose to deal with someone like you?! I didn't even know that people like you existed till now!"

Heath blinks. "Aren't you one as well?"

"... What?" Lunick sputter, thrown. "As far as I know, I'm a normal human being. And normal humans don't punch at the speed of sound!"

Heath looks at him blandly and shrug his shoulders. "You ain't normal when you're as lively as a Mankey after receiving my attack."

Lunick opens his mouth to rebuke but pause, then close it shut. He has _absolutely no idea_ how to argue that point.

He did, after all, survive that without any major injuries. Now that he thinks about it, he also came out from a few hundreds of meter falls with barely a broken bone before….

"Huh." Lunick looks down at his own hand, only now wondering just how durable his body is.

"See? You're not normal." Heath asserts with a smirk. "Now, are we gonna fight or not? Last time was all business because Ice says so, but today, I'm gonna have a field day!"

"Wait, wha -" Lunick cuts off in favor of side-stepping another blurry punch that is aimed at his chest.

He amaze himself to notice that he is able to see something at that speed. Guess he learns something about himself everyday.

While dodging, Lunick tries to think of a way to get the Yellow Gem as soon as possible. He didn't have time to deal with this right now.

But how is he going to shake Heath off of his tail? And there's also the Rhyperior too…

"Tch." He tucks into a roll, barely missing another roundhouse. He promptly uses his hands to prop himself and stretch his leg out horizontally into a low sweep, aiming for Heath's leg.

He didn't think that it was enough but apparently, it swept Heath off balance. Huh… must be the momentum.

Using the precious seconds gained, he makes a dash for the Yellow Gem… only to get the wind knocked out of him again by an Electivire.

Lunick groans while Heath roars with laughter.

"You think it's gonna be that easy?" He shows a toothy grin. "You're not getting anything until you beat me!"

Lunick pushes himself up and gives a sardonic smile. "Great…"

* * *

"Kate, welcome home!" Her mother greets warmly, setting a few dishes onto the table.

"Big sis!" Lila jumps off of her chair and tackles the elder girl with a hug. "I miss you so much!"

"Finally thought 'bout visiting huh?" Her father comments, which earns him a scold from his significant other.

Kate returns the younger girl's embrace. She miss this. She miss her family dearly.

Kste hasn't seen her family since her promotion to a Top Ranger. They're always on the back of her mind, and she wanted to pay them a visit when she finds the time. However, there's just one mishap right after another.

They must have been worried sick when she suddenly disappear... and when she came back, she went straight to the Union, not even thinking about returning home to her worry parents. A pang of guilt enters her heart just at the thought of it.

"I'm sorry." Kate apologizes, her tone conveying the many things that she is apologizing for.

"Like I said, dear, welcome home." When her mother stretch out her arms, Kate almost ran into her embrace like she did all those years ago. Her father and younger sister join in moments later, making it a complete family reunion.

"Welcome home, Kate."

"Welcome back sis!"

"... I'm home." Being in the presence of her family makes her feel at ease. As if everything is normal. She knew that everything isn't, but for now, they are. She's a normal girl with a dream of being one of the best Pokemon Ranger there is. No evil organizations, no legendaries, no complicated things like being a person with memories as old as Almia.

She's just Kate.

* * *

"Alright!" Keith shouts once he kicks open the door, a pile of grunts lying behind him. "We're on a roll!"

"Flare!" Flareon jumps up and down with a cheer while Buizel scurries forward with a sigh. It seems like he's the only sensible one of the trio - which is bad.

"Bui…"

Keith looks at his long-time partner and grin reassuringly. "Relax Buizel! We took care of all those grunts with no problem! I don't think there's -"

"There's what?" come an irked voice, follow by a shove in the face that cause Keith to be pushed to the floor. "No other threat? You really are carefree."

"Wha…"

"Ugh, of all the - It just has to be - why do I even have to - Ice is sooo going to hear from me!"

Keith looks up, finding a familiar pink haired woman standing before him. "You!"

"Yeah, me what?" Lavana shoots a glare at him. With her arms crossed, she looks pissed, Keith notes. She leans forward with her knuckles on her hips, her eyes zeroing in on Keith as if suspicious of something. "Are you telling me that I should be here?"

"Uh…"

"Is there something on my face?" Lavana interrogates, a frown marring her face. "There's something on my face isn't there? I knew I shouldn't have eaten that cupcake! INFERNAPE!"

Said pokemon comes jumping in with a mirror and a box of make up.

"... What?" Keith exchanges looks with his two Pokemon companions, both giving shrugs back, before returning to the still muttering Lavana who is now looking at her complexion.

"Oh my gosh! My skin have gotten darker! Ugh, it's going to take forever to get back my fair skin! I shouldn't have gone out in the first place! But nooo, Ice just have to give me the annoying job. Why not Heath? He would be more than happy to run around doing errands. Just look at his body!"

Infernape helplessly stands there holding the mirror and box while listening to Lavana rant.

"Um…" Keith raises his hand, a bead of sweat rolling down his head.

"What?" Lavan snaps… well, snappily. "Can't you see I'm busy here kid?"

"... Kid?" Hearing that makes his anger boil. "I'm -"

Keith blinks. He turns towards Buizel and Flareon. "How old _am_ I exactly?"

Both Pokemon promptly fell over.

"Ha! A kid that doesn't even know his own age! Now that's a first!' Lavana sneers, bringing one hand to her hip.

"Hey! I just have an experi-"

"I don't care." Lavan interrupts, flipping her ponytail with sassy, then glares at Keith.

Keith immediately shuts up for some reason.

"Listen up kid, I don't want to waste any time with you so here's the deal."

Keith nods.

"Beat me, and I'll give you your gem back. Capiche?"

He nods again, then shakes his head. "Wait, what?"

Lavan groans. She dramatizes her exasperation with her hand dropping from holding her head - she has a tendency to dramatize everything it seems. "Did you hear what I just said, stupid?"

"I'm not -"

"Shut up! You talk when I tell you to!"

Keith's eye twitches in irritation. "Wha…"

Lavan sends him a glare one more before sighing. "Why me… A dodo head like you trying to save the world? Please don't joke with yourself."

"..."

"I bet that even when the answer is right in front of you, staring straight at your face, you would ignore it and go on your way. People like you shouldn't even been given the jobs that require pushing that big fat red button right over there!" She jerks her thumb to said button behind her. The one that clearly says 'Do Not Push'.

"I bet you'll push every other button that's not the most obvious one to push."

"Oi oi…" Keith's vein is about to pop from hearing more of Lavana's grumbling. "Now you're just making fun of me aren't you?"

"Duh!" She replies with an eyeroll. "You're not very observant are you? Are you the one that charge into danger without thinking and lead your friends to suffer?"

"What?! No! That's Kate's thing!"

"Oh? The other annoying brat?" Lavan questions, but she doesn't look like she particularly care she she is inspecting her nails. "Is she stupid just like you them? My Arceus. What are people like you two doing as Pokemon Rangers?"

"Lavana…. Say one more about me and my friends, and I'll…"

"Tch." Lavana clicks her tongue with disdain. "What a hot head Are you sure you'll be able to think clearly? _If_ you're capable of thinking that is."

Keith grounds his teeth together. "We're done talking! I'm going to take you down right here, right now!"

"Hmph!" Lavana cross her arms and turn away conceitedly. "Try me, kid! Let's see if you can even get within a foot of me!"

"Oh yeah?" Keith starts to crack his knuckles, his anger point reached long ago. "I don't even care if you're a girl, so just watch me punch you into next week!"

With that, Keith rushes forward with a ball up fist. Though… something bizarre happened that cause him to halt abruptly.

His fist. _Is on fire._

"... Wha…." He stares at it for a few seconds, before he goes into panic running around and screaming, "I'M ON FIRE! I'M ON FIRE! SOMEONE PUT IT OUT! BUIZEL!WATER GUN! WATERGUNWATERGUNWATERGUN!"

"B-Bui!" The Sea Weasel Pokemon quickly did as he is told.

After getting drench along with putting out the fire, Keith sighs in relief… only to realize that his hand didn't feel any pain at all - nor does it look any charcoaled like it should be.

"What the…"

"See?" Lavana huffs with a half roll of her eyes. "I~diot!"

"Why you…!" Keith growls, and somehow, his hand catches on fire once more. THis time, he didn't panic but carefully watch his burning hand. Like he thought, even though his hand is continuously burning, it doesn't hurt at all. Rather, it feels quite warm and comfortable, as if this is something natural.

In the back of his mind, he sees the image of himself staring impassively at the same fire that devours his hand; but that one is brighter yet seems to be alternating from tame and wild flames; then it disappears.

Getting a gut feeling, he concentrates hard on willing the flames to disperse. And to his amazement it does. "Whoa…"

And his does this several times over, completely forgetting who exactly is right in front of him and his task.

"... Infernape, don't just stand there! Mach Punch!" Lavana commands while Keith is distracted. "Then follow that up with Fire Punch! Afterwards, Close Combat! Beat the hell out of this cretin so we can get this over with!"

"Hey! Who are you calling -" Keith couldn't finish since he is caught up with going under the Mach Punch that Infernape fires in a horizontal line.

_C'mon… c'mon…_ Beads of sweat rolls down his cheeks as he panics inwardly while trying to will the flames to come back. But they wouldn't listen.

At the same time, the Flame Pokemon drew his fist back, lit it on fire in an instant, and swings it downward to where Keith is.

The Top Ranger roll out from being a punching bag, but he doesn't have time to dodge the onslaught of Close Combat. Fortunately, Buizel and Flareon comes in to defend the physical attack for Keith.

"Tch." Lavana clicks her tongue again in disdain. "What rotten luck!"

Keith sighs in relief as he watches his two Pokemon companion battling it out with the primate. His eyes reflecting the series of punches and kicks that Infernape launches and his team defends with an alternating usage of Aqua Tail and Quick Attack.

_… Mach Punch focuses energy into one point. Fire punches draws in the element. Close Combat is precision…_ "That's it!"

Keith pushes himself up and launch a fist forward, concentrating at the center point of his fist. Halfway, it is engulf in flames like how he imagined.

His eyes brightens in ecstasy. "So that's it!"

"Lame." Lavana comments from across.

"What did you say?!" Keith glares at the intolerable woman. He holds his shoulder and rolls it in rotation a few times. "We'll see how lame it is when your hair is on fire!"

Lavana merely watch with impassive eyes.

If he have thought all the way through before letting the pink haired woman get on his nerves, he would have notice how Lavana is not at all surprise that can use Fire Punch.

Keith takes out his Capture Styler. He needs to deal with the Infernape before anything else. "Capture on!"

The Flame Pokemon shots the disc a glance before springing into the air to avoid the capture.

"HEY!" Keith complains. "You're not supposed to dodge that!"

Infernape deadpans at him while Lavana massage her aching temple. "For Arceus sake, how stupid are you?!"

"Well…" The Top Ranger grins before Buizel scurries over to send the circling disc into the air. Keith then uses his hand to guide the capture disc around Infernape in nimble yet intricate loops.

"Capture complete!" Keith announces once the ever-brightening loop entraps the primate, the glow after signals a successful capture.

"Ha! Not so much of an idiot now, am I?"

Lavana blinks, then slowly clap with a deadpan. "Congratulations, you just went from a complete retard to just being asinine."

"... We're done." Keith lights up his fists again and charge straight for his mocking enemy.

Lavana stands still as Keith dashes before her, her expression not betraying her nonchalance at the abnormality.

Barely with in three feet of her, Lavana scrunch up her nose in disdain. "The quality of your fire sucks."

She raises a hand up and catches Keith's advance effortlessly.

"Wha…"

"Hmph!" Tints of red tainting her pink eyes, making them almost seem like they're on fire. With a stomp, fire spread in waves but then quickly disappears - and so does the fire surrounding Keith's fist.

She follows it up by latching onto his arm and flipping him over her shoulder with relative easy.

She looks then at Keith's lying figure with coldness despite the raging fire in her eyes. "If we're going to play with fire, then at least use better flame quality than those half-ass flames of yours."

Lavana grabs Keith by the collar, her subtle glare emitting an aura of superiority that can be backed by her strength.

"If that's all you got, no wonder you're just a kid. A powerless kid trying to play the hero, just like that time."

* * *

**As you can see, those three are gonna get power-ups!**

**Sorry if switching around is annoying but since you'll be wondering what Kate is doing while all this is happening, I thought this would help settle you're curiosity... maybe. XD**

**Also, I'm horrible with fights so... another reason for switching is that I'm lazy and I can't write up those fight scenes.**


	33. Chapter 33 - Up and Down the Hill

**Hi! I'm really sorry for the late update when I told you guys that I'll work on this. (I did, it just took longer than I thought it would...) But here it is, the next chapter! (Horribly written by me and awesomely - is that a word? - proof-read by Nighttyger!)**

**Yeah... I have low self-esteem...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

* * *

She wishes that this moment could stay forever. And ever.

With what has been happening to her, she would like normality in her life. Sure, she accepted her fate, but that doesn't mean she likes dying again and again, then coming back to life again and again.

"And then- and then-" Lila tries to tell Kate about what happened to her recently, but the little girl seems too energetic to express everything in words. Lila is using hand gestures most of the time.

Kate giggles. "Calm down, Lila. Take your time, I'm not going anywhere soon!"

"Really?" Lila asks hopefully, her hands clutching one of Kate's. "So- so I don't have to talk really fast to tell you everything I want you to know just in case you have to go again?"

Kate blinks, then flicks her little sister's forehead. "Where did you get that from, squirt? And I said calm down. I can barely keep up with you!"

Lila doesn't let go to rub her head, but she pouts indignantly. "Big Sis, you always have to go back to being a Pokémon Ranger after a few days! When you first started, then- then when you got hurt, and... and..."

"Lila." Kate holds onto her sister's arms with a comforting grip. "I'll listen to you all the way. I won't leave until you finish. Okay?"

"Really?" Lila looks at her sister with sparkling eyes, but then they suddenly dull. Her smile slowly drops to a frown and she stomps her foot against the floor, starting an unusual tantrum. "No!"

Despite being half Kate's age, Lila's is considerably mature. It is only when Kate's around that her mentality matches her age – barely eight. "Big Sis is always disappearing! Big Sis isn't acting like a big sister at all! You're barely home! I never get to talk to you! Mom and Dad are always worried!"

"L-Lila..."

The younger girl doesn't seem like she's listening, but her grip on Kate's hand tightens, as if Kate would disappear if she lets go. "Big Sis always leaves and we have to stay behind! And even when we leave, Big Sis is going to stay! It's not fair! Not fair!"

"Wait, what are you-"

"I hate Big Sis! I wish Big Sis wasn't special! Big Sis should be normal like a Big Sis!"

Kate is stunned for a moment while Lila starts to quietly sob.

"...Lila?" She doesn't know what her sister is upset about. She doesn't understand what she just said at all. When she tries to reach out to comfort the crying girl again, Lila speaks again.

"Big Sis is going to be alone..." Lila cries while Kate feels the warmth of Lila's grip suddenly begin to disappear. The elder girl looks down, only to see Lila's arms fading away.

"Lila?!"

"We can't stay as long as Big sis can..." Lila's voice echos as her entire being fades away like dust. "It's all Big Sis's fault for being special..."

Kate promptly bolts up from her seat, just as Lila completely vanishes. She spins around to holler for her mother and father, only to find her entire house in ruins. Everything is cloaked in cobwebs, the curtains and sofas are moth-eaten, and the walls and floors, stained with dirt, are filled with holes.

She feels like she's in an abandoned house.

"...Mom? Dad? ...Lila?!"

* * *

"If that's all you got, no wonder you're just a kid. A powerless kid trying to play the hero, just like that time."

Hearing the provocation reminds Keith of bad memories.

_"You old monster... To hell with you! You F****** ()$&amp;)%* &amp; !)!$&amp;%%!"_

_"All three of you together aren't my match! What makes you think you'll send me to hell?"_

_"Think you're so omnipotent, don't ya, you F****** B****** you $&amp;%&amp;*!%#%" Flames start to go wild around Keith without his conscious control, which is the last thing that's needed right now._

_"Dazzle! Hajime! Snap out of it, both of you!"_

It was the first time that their elder brother had ever put so much authority into his tone. Hearing him speak like that made Keith shut his foul mouth. And as if snapping to his senses, the fire subsided as he looked at Lunick.

He was immature, weak, and a hothead – but he is going to change that. Keith's eyes blaze with a new resolve. Flames start to concentrate around him, causing Lavana to withdraw her hands before she gets burned – if she can get burned, that is.

Unexpectedly, she has a satisfied smile of her face. "There we go. It really does take a lot of effort to teach an idiot..." She mumbles the last part.

"You say that I'm as powerless as I was then?" Keith growls, standing up on his feet, though favoring his right leg. Fire pours out from his hands and feet, circling around him. "What would you know of it?!"

Lavana hmphs, blocking a punch and expelling the fire... only to receive a shock when the flames gather again, hotter and more fierce.

"NOTHING!" Keith launches a series of fire punches towards Lavana. His attacks are launched with such ferocity that she has trouble dealing with all of them and ends up with a few burns.

Lavana distances herself from Keith and looks down at the few scorch marks. She frowns at the sight, but nothing more. With a tap of her foot, fire emits from her heel. She lunges forward gracefully as if she is skating around a ring.

Her plan is to surround Keith in a ring of fire to trap him, but her efforts are laid to waste when her flames start to disperse from their formation and gather to Keith's palm. Surprised, she distances herself once more.

"It's true that we were weak," Keith growls, glaring at Lavana, who involuntarily flinches as the flames concentrate into a uniform sphere in his palm. "And we died trying."

"BUT NO ONE'S GOING TO DISAPPEAR THIS TIME! NOT ME, NOT KELLYN, NOT LUNICK, NOT ANYONE! AND WE'RE GOING TO GET KATE OUT OF HERE!" He raises his palm as he shouts, then slams it down onto the ground with enough force to shatter the floor. Plumes of fire raise from the floor and race towards Lavana.

She tries to move in a direction away from harm but the fire plumes seem to read her mind and encircle her.

With sweat rolling down her face, she raise her arms in defense against the inevitable hit. However, instead of looking grim, she smirks. "This kid..."

Fire consumes her in seconds.

.

.

.

"Congratulations."

Keith's eyes widen as Lavana casually steps out without a scratch on her pretty face – or any burns to her hair, as he had hoped. Instead of a mocking smirk, the woman wears a approving smile.

She stretches out her hands as a familiar gem appears from her body – wait, what?

The red glow of her eyes disappears and is replaced with a gentle look, as if she is looking at her long time friend.

"I was afraid that you'd end up like last time," Lavana speaks, confusing Keith by many folds. "But you held much more resolution and strength this time. All you needed was a little push to get your fire going."

She thrusts the gem outward and it gently flies over to Keith. He feels the comfortable warmth that the fire-shaped Gem emits and immediately reaches out for it.

"However," Lavana says, frowning. "You should always keep a clear head, or you'll keep being the idiot you are who just charges into fights."

"What...?" Keith furrows his brows. "What the heck are you talking about?"

Lavana rolls her eyes and folds her arms across her chest. "You think those Gems are just pretty decorations? That their only purpose is to hold the Shadow?"

"...Yes?"

Lavana has to refrain herself from wanting to beat a certain prince to death.

* * *

Kate is scared. The house looks so empty. It feels empty.

With an ever-growing anxiety, she rushes out of the rundown house, the door dangling on the last of its hinges, and into the town that she should be familiar with.

The sky is clouded with grey clouds, expressing the fear in her mind as she sees the small town looking like a ghost town. The houses, just like the one she rushed out of, are all broken beyond repair. The people that she saw the first time she came here are no longer present.

She rushes south to the small farm that her family owns, her foot steps and her breath the only sounds to accompany her in this abandoned place.

Instead of seeing lush green plants and the like, she sees an ominous mist permanently hovering above the dry, cracked ground, hugging the many gravestones standing tall in the field.

"W-w-what..." Her knees feel weak. Her body can't stop shivering, out of either shock of fear. She doesn't know - maybe both.

Her eyes land on one of the nearest gravestones, and seeing what is engraved on it makes her want to vomit.

_In fondest memory of Lila Hitomi_

_XX01 - XX78_

Kate buckles, a hand over her mouth. Her sister died? At age of 77? "How is that - but she - and I'm - that year hasn't even come yet!"

She can't sort out her thoughts. It's just... impossible that she just saw her adorable sibling minutes earlier and then... this!

Even though she dares not to glance at the two gravestones beside her, she does anyway, motivated by morbid curiosity and the nauseating feeling that she already knows. They belong to her mother and father. And despite the fact that she had suspected as much, the dread in the pit of her stomach grows.

She glances back at her sister's grave, and notices that there's more written on the slab of stone.

_I'll forever be with you even if I'm gone._

She returns her gaze to the other two stones and sees that they have the same message.

She knows. She knows who it is meant for. It was for her.

They knew.

No...

* * *

Lunick isn't going to die, no. But he's probably going to get beat up if he doesn't think of anything soon.

To his surprise, though, he's been able to block Heath's attacks one after another – but that's all. He frowns. He has always on the passive side, unless someone provoked him. Always. He was a lax guy, an average Pokémon Ranger back in the day. He never thought he could climb up the ranks, so he always went with the flow. It wasn't until he met the newbie, Solana, with a unique air around her, that he had a change in his mundane life.

He is passive still. Thinking back, that trait of his wasn't always as good as he thought. He lacks strength. Even though he is the eldest - Solana coming in a close second, of course - he hasn't acted like it. He's slightly better now, but when a certain memory comes to pass while defending against Heath's brute force, he really hates himself for taking the role of the responsible one, a role he knows he can't fill.

When it comes down to it, he lacks the quality of a leader. He couldn't protect those he cares about, and he regrets it. That feeling from long ago – from that final moment when he realized his mistakes – swallows him whole. When Kellyn was about to fall apart, Keith looking worst for wear and letting his anger get the better of him... it was only then that it hit him.

He's the one that was supposed to keep them together - not help to break them apart.

Keith is clouded with anger, while Kellyn seems to have been affected by a simple comment. He can't blame them though, they are still young. Not even adults yet. No matter how mature they seem, they can't go against someone like him, with so much more experience and knowledge than them.

"I'm the same though..." he mumbles, not loud enough to be heard by the others. It's his fault, isn't it?

He shouldn't have been pulled into that childish fight back then. This wouldn't have happened, if he had just kept his head. He is the older one, and now that the king is gone, he needs to step up and take responsibility.

_Hearing Keith shouting foul words that he shouldn't be (that he shouldn't know, Lunick thinks), and seeing Kellyn not himself, frustration rises within him. He needs to fix this. Even if it's too late, there might still be something that they can do. But first-_

_"Dazzle! Hajime! Snap out of it!" He's going to make his brothers cooperate – like the old times._

Yeah, it isn't going to happen again, Lunick thinks. Absentmindedly, the Pokémon Ranger catches one of Heath's arms, startling yet intriguing the man.

He isn't going to be passive - at least, not in this situation, when everything is on the line again.

He quickly lock the back of Heath's knee with his leg, sweeping the man off his feet. With a heavy slam that has a force Lunick didn't think he could manage, Heath hits the floor with a colossal SLAM! causing web-like cracks to appear and spread out as far as ten meters away.

Then, without giving Heath the time to recover, Lunick hauls the muscled man up by the collar and tosses him up. With a roundhouse kick that is somehow as fast - or faster - than Heath's previous punches, his opponent hits the wall, not only knocking the wind out of him but also making a hole in the wall... along with the three walls behind the first.

"Don't think you'll have your way," Lunick says coldly, knowing full well that that isn't enough to heavily injure Heath. "We're going to finish what we started, and it won't end up like last time."

Laughter can be heard bellowing from three rooms down.

"Good, good!" Heath praises, a grin on his face. "You're more than worthy of ownership! But..." He propels himself forward. "I've been looking for a good fight for ages!"

* * *

"No... nonono..." Kate starts to push herself away from the farm-turned-graveyard, mind starting to whirl as she tries to make sense of everything, but can't. "T-this isn't happening... i-it's not...!"

_It's not happenIng. ThiS IsN't rEaL. It'S nOt haPpeNInG. **Thisisn'treal!IT'sNoThaPPenIng!**_ She clutches her head in panic, then takes in deep breaths, trying to calm herself to prevent the hysteria she can feel coming. She tries to reason that the sight before her isn't real while also willing the tears forming in her eyes to not appear. "C-calm down... It's just a dream... Mom and Dad are fine... Lila is fine... everyone in town is fine... Pachi-"

Kate pauses, as if something just struck her mind. "Pachi... Pachi, where are you?"

She promptly picks herself up and runs. Away from the graveyard, away from her home, away from everything. She needs her Pokémon partner. The little Pachirisu has been with her since she started out as a Ranger and has never abandoned her, even in deadly situations.

She trusts the little Pokémon to not leave her.

"M-maybe she's at the beach..." Kate mumbles to herself again, hoping that her Pachirisu hasn't gone wandering off on her own. Even though that seems unusual for Pachi, it is a possibility.

The beach is where she and Pachirisu met – maybe the little Pokémon is lost down memory lane, however cheesy that sounds.

When she passes through Vientown, she tries to ignore how it looks just like her home. Even the Ranger station for the Area Rangers seems broken down - but she has no time to dawdle on it. She needs to find her little partner!

"Pachi!" Kate shouts once she sees her destination. Hearing no response, she runs to every corner of the shore and the grounds above in search of the EleSquirrel Pokémon.

At some point, she trips over something she didn't see and falls, leading her to hit her head on something rock solid.

"OW!" Kate whines as she looks up. "What is so-"

The brunette freezes, looking for all the world as if time has stopped.

_Pachi_

_To my beloved Pokémon partner,_

_Sorry_

That last word rings in Kate's head. It has so many meanings to it, but one strikes out at her, as evident as the sun. It's Kate's message to Pachirisu. It's her message.

An apology for leaving her Pokémon partner behind, and that they won't be meeting on the other end.

Memories start to flood in. Of the time with her family. Of the time that they sent her off to the Ranger School. Of the time she first met Pachi. Of how she met the little Pokémon again when she became a full-fledged Ranger...

"No..."

Those memories are but fleeting, shattering just as she grasps them, replaced by graves; graves of her family, her friends, every one that she knew.

"NO!" She starts to clutch her head again, her eyes frenzied and her breathing irregular. There is a small voice in her head telling her to snap out of it, but Kate is in no state of mind to listen.

_Why... WhYWHYWhy?!Why is this happening?! WHY?!WhYIStHisHAppeNInG?!THeY'reNotREal!tHEy'ReNOtDeAD!tHeY'renOtREal!thEy'rEnOtDEaD!ThEyAreNot -tHeY'Re DeAd! TheY'rE deAD! iT'saLlmYFAult! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'M SORRY. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. **I'M SORRY. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. ****I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.**_

.

.

.

.

_**Why. whYiSItmE?! wHyAMinoTWItHtHem?! wHy aM i StILl alIVe?!**_

* * *

An Aura Sphere is aimed.

Kellyn raises his hands up to form what looks like an unstable Protect. The Aura Sphere barely has to make contact with the barrier to shatter it, leaving Kellyn to be hit full on.

"Seriously?" Ice takes a leisurely stroll towards the Pokémon Ranger while effortlessly blocking a Discharge from Pachirisu. "If I'm correct, you should have the entire Aura package from Lucario, do you not?"

"How..."

"Then why aren't you using it?" Ice continues, ignoring Kellyn's inquiry. His eyes take on an amused sparkle as he circles around the fallen Kellyn, like a predator and its prey. "Don't tell me you can't. It would be such a waste if you couldn't."

The Pokémon Ranger pushes himself up wordlessly, eyeing Ice with contempt.

Ice chuckles lowly, a sphere of Aura casually spinning in his palm. "Well then, why don't you just use your head? Call him out to help you? It's no fun facing a crippled opponent. Makes me look bad, too."

Silence reigns between the two for a moment. Kellyn is surprised to see that Ice hasn't made a move.

"Well?" Ice questions boredly. "Or is this all you have?"

He sighs with a shrug, walking back and forth. "If this is all the power that you're able to muster, then you aren't qualified to even see our... boss. Or save your friends, for that matter."

Ice taps a finger to his chin, thinking. "Hm... if I recall... that girl – Kate, was it? - she's probably going through some nightmare that Darkrai's feeding her right about now..."

"Darkrai..?" Kellyn mumbles, his eyes then suddenly widening as Ice's words fully register in his mind. "Kate?!"

"Ah, now that's a fresh expression." Ice smirks, then casually flips his spiky hair. "So, just how strong is your resolve?"

Kellyn grinds his teeth together in anger. He needs to beat the hell out of this taunting guy. Right now. But... how? Can he really call on Lucario if he just thinks hard enough?

Well, it never hurts to try.

Keeping a suspicious eye on Ice - he can't really trust an enemy, even if said enemy is giving him a chance for some reason - Kellyn reaches deep in his mind. He shuffles through scattered memories and to-do lists until he sees a ball of light.

Its aura is so strong that it seems to repel Kellyn, treating him like an invader. It brings to mind of a lot of memories – one unpleasant one in particular.

He, alone, stands in the middle of a ruin, injured beyond healing. Nearby, Keith and Lunick are barely breathing, yet their unidentifiable enemy is looking quite hale. Well, their enemy took the form of their father. But they know that it isn't him.

_"Give. Me. CELEBI!" he demanded._

_"You old monster... To hell with you!" Keith spits, painfully pushing himself up, continuing on his tirade as he does. His knowledge of profanity startles Kellyn._

_"To hell?" The man bellows in laughter. "All three of you together aren't my match! What makes you think you'll send me to hell?"_

_Kellyn clenches his hands, hating to admit that fact. He and his brothers weren't even fighting together, let along combining strengths._

_He should have known something was going to happen when their father started acting stranger. But he didn't pay him any heed and continued his everyday routine. He hadn't expect this result at all._

_He looks down on his own hands. He had taken lessons on Aura when he encountered a rare Aura adept on one of his trips around Almia, but it wasn't enough. Even Lucario, whom the Aura adept had gifted to him as a Riolu because of his talent in Aura, couldn't handle their enemy._

_He hates to admit it, but he's weak. Weak enough to not be able to save Kate from that fire, weak enough to break the bond he had with his brothers. If only... if only he could turn back... time. Wouldn't that solve everything?_

_"...le... Hajime!" Lunick bellows angrily. "Snap out of it, both of you!"_

_He looks at the eldest among them, a rare look of panic flashing across his eyes. "I-"_

_"I understand that being powerless is frustrating," Lunick starts, wobbling over to his two younger brothers. "That just means we have to try harder."_

_"...That's right!" Keith nods firmly. "Let's try it one last time. Together. I'll die before I admit defeat against this creep!"_

_"... Right."_

Kellyn frowns. Keith and Lunick's resolve was stronger than his by a long shot, but even then... their lives were all used to delay their enemy for another thousand years. That was all they could do.

Kellyn reaches a hand out for the ocean of blue light in his mind, a set of determined eyes set on the core that he's trying to reach. Things are going to be different this time, he is going to make sure of it – starting right here and right now.

With a final push, he leaps towards his target and delivers an Aura-infused punch. Once the attack makes contact, everything seems to be frozen in time.

The light twists and swirls, forming the silhouette of a Lucario. The Pokémon nods in approval and bows. "Well done, Master." He then disperses, and information streams relentlessly into Kellyn's head.

He winces, feeling a headache coming on from the sudden overflow of theories and techniques such as Aura Purge. But all of that is overshadowed by the sound of Ice clapping.

Ice has obviously been observing Kellyn instead of preparing a sneak attack – why, Kellyn still doesn't understand. "Impressive. I can see that the level of your Aura just became more enriched. Did you succeed, then?."

The Pokémon Ranger (now an Aura adept, his new memories inform him) clutches his hands as if getting the feel of his body before instantaneously forming an Aura Sphere of his own. He wasn't able to do that before. He could at most use Aura sight just a while ago, but now...

Kellyn gives Ice a look. "Just what's your objective?"

Ice smirks. "Why don't we do less talking and fight instead? I seem to be recalling Gallade having your friend by the throat."

"If I defeat you, you'll keep your word?"

"How many more times do I have to repeat myself?" Ice retorts, looking mildly annoyed. He instantly forms an Aura Sphere and tosses it towards Kellyn.

This time, the blue Protect wall Kellyn forms is stable. However, the Aura zooms in, then curves around to attack from the back like a boomerang.

Kellyn quickly tumbles out of the way, only to be met with an aura-infused palm from Ice that sends him flying a few meters. He lands with a soft "oof," while Ice looks a bit disappointed.

"Is that it?" With aura coursing through his legs, Ice gains a sudden burst of speed that takes him right behind Kellyn within a split second. Kellyn barely manages to roll out of the way of the punch Ice aims at him.

"You're disappointing," Ice says coolly, leaping over the hole he made in the seventh floor. "Do you really expect to save anyone with that level of strength?"

"...No," Kellyn answers, standing up. "But..." He suddenly blurs away and appears behind Ice, his eyes cold and sharp as his voice.

"When the time comes, I won't let my friends lose their lives."

Ice chuckles and matches fist with fist. The speed of the punches causes the air to vibrate, forming an explosion of Aura energy.

"Well done." Ice's voice travels across the room while Kellyn screeches to a stop from the repelling force. His opponent walks through the smoke, his hands clapping slowly together. "You passed."

"...What?"

Ice raises one of his hands and snaps. Gallade takes the signal to release the prisoner, apologizing to the young scientist as they do.

Kellyn furrows his brows in confusion at Ice's sudden change in action. The outcome of their fight hadn't even been decided yet...

The blue haired man tuts playfully with a shake of his head. "And I thought you were the faster of your lot." He shoots Kellyn a smirk.

"This is all a test. And I suppose your... brothers are going through one as well. Should they pass, I imagine they'll receive much the same explanation as I will give you as well." Ice motions his hand forward, and a blue light is extracted from his chest, taking the form of a blue teardrop gem. "Let me ask you this. Do you really think something as special as these Gems would allow themselves to fall under the wrong hands? ...Don't answer that."

Kellyn closes his mouth, swallowing the answer he was about to voice out.

" The Blue, Red, and Yellow Gems were created by the three Princes to combat and contain the Shadow. But, these treasures are not mere ornaments that only petrify the Shadow. They are also what allowed the Princes of Almia to go beyond what is human." Ice starts to walk towards Kellyn, his eyes impassive. "As such, when you and your brothers are in possession of it, your abilities are amplified. However, the Gems themselves will not allow themselves to bend so willingly to their owners. Not after the dissonance you three had a millennium ago. Why do you think I was provoking you?"

"You mean..." The Top Ranger's eyes widen.

"I was testing your resolution. The Gem wants to know if you have changed," Ice answers coolly, thrusting the Blue Gem towards Kellyn. "If you don't have enough resolution, then you will never be able to master Aura in the little time that you have."

Kellyn blinks. "W-who are you?"

Ice smiles. A genuine one. "A moron who has safeguarded the royal Gem and waited a millennium to return it to the rightful owner." A blue light outlines his figure, then shatters as he turns around and walks away from both Kellyn and Issac. "I guess I'm free from that job now. Maybe I'll do some wandering or something. Having my time frozen is far from a good thing nowadays."

"Oh, and I lied. Melody is safe at her parents' house." He gives a two-finger wave and disappears from the room with Gallade. "Later noob."

Then the tower trembles.

* * *

**Oki! We're almost there! Just... one more chapter! I also have it done too, just need it proof-read and done! I can now pat my self on the back for a job-well done... not really. This story turned out... meh. It's just horrible 'kay? Maybe in the next, my writing will be better...**


	34. Chapter 34 - Welcome Back

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

* * *

Night time. The time of day when people rest up for the morning to come, when the stars are up in the sky but are barely visible because of the many city lights, when everything goes from bustling life to dead silence.

However, the night is not exactly as peaceful as people think it is. Night is is the busiest time of day for a group of people.

Unknown to normal humans, night is when demons starts to spawn. Demons were creatures of the dark that once walked on Elrios once upon a time at their own leisure and causing chaos. However, in one incident, they disappeared, retreated to the Dimension where they came from with the assistance of the Lady El.

But that came with a downside.

To those who knew, Elrios was once a land of magic filled with many different species of creatures that are able to perform such phenomenon. Elves, Nasods, Phorus, Faries, etc. But now, magic was only a figment of one's imagination - and so were these creatures.

That doesn't mean that these creatures disappeared from the face of the planet. No, there are still a few that are alive today, blending in with humans. They are what are known as the Magic Kins, because of their innate ability to regenerate Mana. Compared to them, humans needed an external flow of Mana in order to perform magic, and since the Mana flow ceased to exist in Elrios along with the demons, humans lost that ability, leaving them to fend for themselves. However, there are rare times (one in a thousand) that a human is born with magic potential, but because their abilities are mostly unused, most live their lives normally - unless they are given guidance.

Because of the lost of Mana in Elrios, the Magic Kins have a harder time using magic - but they still can. And their true forms can no longer be seen by those who doesn't have potential to perform magic. They can still co-exist with humans if they take their form but not many were willing to trade in their ability to use Magic for that.

And even though demons were pushed back into their dimension, some are still able to escape from Demon Gates, a loose connection between the realm of demons and what is not the realm of humans. Even then, only the weaker demon species can crossover most of the time due to the instability. But that doesn't mean that they weren't a threat. In fact, if they were left to be, they are able to link back to the demon realm and call their brethren, which would be more of a problem.

* * *

Solana has a bad feeling. That tremor she just felt is strange, not in the least because she could still feel it up in the air. It wasn't as bad as an earthquake but... it wasn't any better either.

Her ruby red eyes glower as she squints down from the Staraptor she captured.

"Something's gone terribly wrong..."

"Solana? Sven?" Wendy hollers across from her right, riding a Staraptor as well. "Did you feel that?"

From the corner of her eyes, she sees Sven nod grimly. "Definitely ain't a good sign. I wonder what's going on in there..."

Solana's frown deepens with worry, sweat rolling down her forehead. "Plusle, how's Minun's electric signature?"

"Plus!" The mouse reassures her partner after releasing a few sparks from her cheeks. "Plusle!"

Despite the positive answer, Solana can't help but clench her fists tightly. She can't help it – anything. From here, she feels so helpless. She has waited for so long, and she knows that waiting a bit more shouldn't be a problem. But...

Her vision suddenly blurs, replacing her bird's eye view with a flash of green clashing with black, accompanied with a familiar scream that rings in her ears. Even though it seems to have lasted a few minutes or longer, it lasted only a few seconds in reality.

By the time Solana comes back to her senses, she's already as pale as the fur on a Beartic. She has seen the vision multiple times before, but that scream was new...

She starts to clutch her head, trembling with dread as the pounding of her heart trumps over everything she hears. In all of her life, she never thought she would come to hate being born as a Seer.

"Kate..." She needs to get down there, but she can't.

She can only wait...

* * *

Kellyn has a bad feeling. That tremor he just felt was strange. It wasn't as bad as an earthquake but... it wasn't any better either.

He made sure that Issac left the Altru Tower safely before going up himself. The entire time, he had the sinking feeling that something went down the wrong direction.

"Kellyn!"

The Ranger in question turns around, stopping mid-step up the stairs leading to the roof.

A little further down, he sees Keith and Lunick making their way up. They look a little battered from whatever they had to deal with, but seem ready for anything that comes their way.

By the anxiousness swimming in their eyes, Kellyn comes to an understanding that he wasn't the only one to have a bad premonition.

The tower vibrates once again, dust particles falling out of their place and landing on the stairs.

Kellyn involuntary shivers at the increasingly oppressive feeling assaulting him from the top of the stairs.

"Got everything?" he asks the other two, just to make sure.

"What did'cha think?" Keith grins, giving him a thumbs up and jumping up three steps to place himself at the same level as Kellyn.

"Let's go up." Lunick's face is grim, though Kellyn can sense that there is something different about him. About both of them. The sense of responsibility and determination that he gained when he fought Ice. It would seem that the other two were also given that revelation during their fights.

Kellyn nods and all three, with their Pokémon partners, walk up the last few steps that will bring them to the door to the rooftop.

I'm sorry.

The voice echoes into the minds of the three. To hear it, to hear the sheer sadness and resignation, causes a surge of panic. They don't even bother to use the handle. They simply bulldoze the door down, knocking it off its hinges, and sprint out.

What they see before their eyes, they wish was a nightmare that they can wake up from. A dream of twisted reality, playing with their minds. Something they can leave to find that really, everything is okay.

But no, this isn't a dream.

This is reality.

No matter how much they would blink, rub their eyes, and slap themselves, the scene would not change.

Kate lies motionless in midair, somewhat curled up on her side, enshrouded by a layer of psychic energy which is itself cloaked by a swirling black mist. Her face is contorted into pain, with tear trails streaking down from her closed eyes - a telltale sign that she had been crying, a while ago. But now even that has stopped.

If it weren't for that, one might have been able to think that Kate was sleeping.

Horror strikes the three, pale as their faces, turning their legs into mush. Seeing her lying there, lifeless as a doll, makes their hearts lurch up to their throats and their hopes shatter into as many pieces as the stars in the night sky.

"Kate...?" Kellyn whispers, almost too softly to be heard. His voice sounds almost broken, clinging to his last hope even more desperately than anyone else, praying, silently begging, that she would hear his voice and wake up and complain to him about not having enough sleep.

Anything but the other possibility.

He tries to take a step forward, but freezes when he hears a laugh, deep and eerie that bounces against the air and reaches into their ears and sends chills down their spines.

"A step too late, friends."

"Hah?!" Keith scowls, his hands balling into fists. "Who the hell are your friends?!"

"Keith..." Lunick warns, his eyes focused on what lies ahead. A tall, lean figure stands just a few steps away, on the slightly raised observation platform.

The look, that he directed towards the figure, in his eyes tells anyone who saw them that he means business. "What did you do." A demand, not a question.

A laugh echoes from Blake Hall's throat, sending more shivers through the body of everyone who hears it. It sounds hollow, yet it fills their ears with the impression that the man before them is dangerous. Dangerously powerful.

"Nothing more than separate her and Celebi." A smile spreads on his face as he shows a green translucent orb in his hand. The orb releases a visible energy around it, as if on fire. Within the light is the silhouette.

A sleeping Celebi, Lunick and the others note in immediate horror.

"You-" When Kellyn tries to move again, he finds his feet seemingly cemented to the ground.

"What the-?!" Keith exclaims, looking frantic as all three of them seem to be suddenly trapped in some sort of swirling black hole. And with each passing second, the black mist within the hole drags them down deeper and deeper like quicksand.

The trio's shadows start to move on their own, connecting at some unseen point in front of them. The shadows swim around before seeming to congeal and start rising up. Out of the pool of inky black rises Darkrai, its black and white plumes flapping in an unfelt wind and its eyes glowing an eerie blue hue.

"Chupa!" Kellyn's Pachirisu snarls, Buizel, Flareon, and Minun joining him, Darkrai's appearance causing each of the Pokémon's fur to stand on end.

"Darkrai," Blake commands blandly, "release the girl."

With a snap of a finger, the mist and energy surrounding Kate disperse, letting her body fall limply to the ground. The fall momentarily distracts the three from trying to struggle free from the black holes.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Blake calls, grabbing the attention of the others, his voice a mix of two. He slowly descends down the small flight of stairs leading to and from the observation platform. "When Celebi is on the verge of death, she is able to survive by merging with a human's soul. Such a small creature granted that little girl the ability to reset her life when she dies. It practically guaranteed her immortality, and yet..." He motions towards Kate's body.

He stops behind Darkrai, standing slightly to the side so that he can be seen. "When she gave up to despair, no longer clinging to life, Celebi was chased out and right into my hands."

Blake smirks. "In other words, you're all too late."

"Chupa..."

"Flare..."

"Min..."

Pachirisu and Minun launch an all-out Discharge, and Flareon adds a Flamethrower to the mix, the attacks throwing the entire area into brightness. It that split second of blinding light, the shadows that bind the Rangers disappear, allowing movement once again.

The three immediately break into a run towards Kate's fallen body.

"Kate!" Kellyn is the first to reach her, Keith and Lunick arriving split seconds later. When he touches her arm, he feels an all-too-dreadful coldness permeating through Kate's body.

He swoops her up in his arms and tries to shake her awake, hopping that she might just be sleeping. That she might just wake up. "Kate!"

"Wake up dammit!" Keith shouts, doing nothing but kneeling and allowing the tears to gather in his eyes. "This is no place to sleep..."

Lunick reaches for the wrist lying limp on the ground, taking her pulse despite everything, despite the reality that slams into him for doing so. The pit of his stomach sinks to rock bottom as he faces the other two with a look of despondency.

"She's-"

"Shut up," Keith growls, glaring despite his falling tears. Lunick knows that he doesn't want to hear it. Neither does Kellyn. Even he, himself, finds it difficult to accept the fact that Kate, their Kate, the one that's always bouncing with energy, is still, is... dead. There won't be any more times where they get to talk to her, to tease her, to see her smile and hear her laugh.

They told themselves that this time was going to be different, yet everything just repeated itself. Was this how Kate had felt, forever born again, forever running, nothing ever changing? Useless?

And yet, despite all those feelings... a fire still rages on within them.

"Touching." Blake watches them with amusement, then chuckles. "Why don't you join your friend?"

"...We're not done." Lunick is the first to speak and stand up.

By now, Kellyn has already stopped his futile shaking. He places Kate gently down on the ground, his face turned to the ground and shadows hiding his eyes. Keith adjusts the Top Styler on his arm and stands as well.

"Capture..." Kellyn raises his gaze once more, revealing eyes filled with a rage belied by the evenness of his voice.

"ON!" The other two join him, and the trio simultaneously launch their capture discs at Darkrai.

"Useless," Blake remarks dryly, snapping his finger as a signal for Darkrai to act.

In an instant, the Pitch-Black Pokémon melts itself into the darkness, flowing agilely along the ground as a shadow. It immobilizes their Pokémon Partners first, putting them to sleep with Dark Void before going to deal with the capture discs.

And no matter how Kellyn, Lunick, and Keith try, they just can't throw loops around a mere shadow.

"Kellyn, Keith," Lunick calls, moving away from an incoming Shadow Ball. "Don't let it put you to sleep!"

The other two nod. But when they try to move, they find themselves stuck again.

"Why that..." Keith growls as he thrusts his capture disc towards Darkrai, who had strangely resurfaced. Darkrai disappears just as the disc reaches it, and Keith finds himself thrown suddenly forward. "What the hell!?"

"That's it!" Kellyn shouts, realizing something. "Darkrai can't attack and move in the shadows at the same time!"

"That's stupid - not that I'm complaining," Keith mumbles, guiding his capture disc away from another attack, then quickly maneuvering it towards Darkrai. However, it dives back into the shadows before his capture disc can do anything.

"Okay," Keith snaps angrily, ducking and rolling under a Dark Pulse, "how are we supposed to get this guy?!"

"No idea," Lunick barks back, equally agitated. Suddenly, he loses his footing and falls to the ground. The few seconds that it takes for him to recover is enough for Darkrai to perform its nightmare-inducing move on him.

"Lunick!" Kellyn and Keith exclaim in worry.

"LUNAR DANCE!" a voice shouts from above, followed by a gentle cry. A light shows itself in the sky, as if the full moon has suddenly appeared. Spotlighted in the middle of moonlight is Cresselia, giving off her own calm light.

The moonlight, shining a rainbow of colors, works its magic on Lunick and the Pokémon that were put to sleep, rousing them from their nightmares.

"You idiots!" Solana drops the hundred feet from Cresselia's back, landing clumsily in her frustration. Her gaze flickers from a groggily standing Lunick, to the Pokémon, to the two troubled Rangers, and then to Kate.

She quickly rushes over to the body to check the condition. "...Not too long."

She whips around to face Lunick and the others. "Get Celebi back. Now."

"Wha- how are we supposed to-" Keith begins, but Solana immediately cuts him off.

"Do you not remember that you guys have Regigigas and Heatran on your side? Call them for Arceus's sake!" she shouts. "Tell them to deal with Darkrai. We need to- mmph!"

In the few seconds since the moonlight faded, Blake had come up behind her and was now sealing her mouth with his hand.

"Let her go!" Lunick demands, launching himself at him at the man, but somehow, Blake is able to dodge without trouble. However, in his focus on dodging Lunick's blows, he forget about the very person he is holding hostage.

Solana elbows Blake in the gut, causing him to let go of her. Solana takes the opportunity to lash out with a roundhouse kick and sends him flying.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

Blake grunts, staring at the woman in surprise. "How..."

"I'm a Seer," Solana spits. "Even if you can control time, I can still predict your next moves." She doesn't admit that she can only see a few seconds into the future. If she tries to see any further, the view would become too vague to be useful.

"Since when can you..." Lunick trails off when Solana gives him a look that tells him that this isn't the time to talk about that.

"Keith, call Heatran. Lunick, Regigigas if you may," she commands, but when she sees the confusion written on their faces, she can't help but bark at them. How could they forget? "Your gems! Use them! Cresselia can't fight Darkrai alone you know! It would take too long!"

Keith and Lunick, finally understanding what they need to do, stand up straight and call out their respective gems.

"Kellyn," Solana calls while the two figure out exactly how to call Heatran and Regigigas, "we need to get Celebi before he creates a time warp- Keith!" The Ranger looks up just in time to dodge a punch from a Dusknoir that had appeared out of seemingly nowhere – but being a ghost-type, it had probably been hiding the entire time. "It'll take time for him to assimilate that orb containing Celebi," Solana continued, "but with the time you guys wasted..."

Not questioning Solana, Kellyn creates an Aura Sphere and aims it at Blake. The man merely takes a step to the side to dodge it, then bend over to avoid the sphere as it takes a U-turn.

"How is he able to dodge that?" Kellyn asks, hoping that Solana would know. Solana had mentioned something about controlling time, hadn't she? It did seem vaguely familiar...

"He can slow down and speed up time at will, though only in a limited area – for now," Solana adds, glancing at Celebi. "He sped up his perception of time in order to see the trajectory of your attack- block your left!"

Even with the sudden order, Kellyn manages to hastily raise a Protect, his arms crossing in a block out of instinct, just in time to block the fist that Dusknoir sends his way. Where did the ghost even... It was attacking Keith a second ago... But the situation stirs a memory in his mind, of the competition in Ranger School. It seemed so long ago. Even then Kate was being hunted...

The building rumbles once more, this time accompanied by a blast of heat. The Dusknoir flies away from Kellyn in surprise, returning to Blake's side.

"Okay!" Keith exclaims, making his way towards Kellyn and Solana. "I didn't know we could use the Gems to teleport Heatran and Regigigas here!"

Solana rolls her eyes just as Lunick joins them too. "You should have known long ago."

"Hey," Lunick tries to defend. "We just got these back and then came right up here. Do you expect us to know everything these things can do?"

"Whatever," Solana snaps, then points to Blake and the Dusknoir now standing protectively in front of him. "Just get Celebi. It might be the only way to get Kate back."

At that, the three male Rangers look at Solana in shock, but don't say anything. They know it's better to get the Pokémon back without any more time wasted, than to ask questions right now.

Keith starts the fight with a Fire Punch towards Dusknoir, using punches and dodges to lead it away from Blake and keep it occupied while Kellyn and Lunick run past them. Solana takes the opportunity to run back to the fight between the legendaries.

Just as Kellyn and Lunick are ready to attack, Blake appears elsewhere, frowning and gripping the green orb in his hands. "I'm not letting you four destroy what I have been working towards for a millennium."

"Dude, you're what? Only fifty?!" Keith shouts, as Kellyn and Lunick begin their assault on Blake, launching attack after attack, only for each one to be dodged. Keith, still trying to keep Dusknoir from attacking the others, tries to set Dusknoir on fire but fails, earning a Shadow Punch to the face for his trouble. "OW!"

The Pokémon then proceeds to use Gravity, slamming its unsuspecting enemies to the floor. Even though it feels like a ton has been placed on their backs, Lunick and Kellyn slowly manage stand back up – Lunick relying on his enhanced strength and durability and Kellyn on his Aura fortification.

Keith, while not able to stand up, has other way of deal with Gravity. He's still close enough to reach Dusknoir, so all he needs is to grab it by the... well, he'd call it a tail, and set the Pokémon on fire.

Dusknoir relinquishes the Gravity attack in favor of putting some distance between itself and Keith. It then attempts to put out the flames, giving Keith enough time to launch his Styler at Dusknoir and go into the process of capturing the ghost-type.

Kellyn and Lunick, however, still can't land a hit on Blake.

"Stop hiding in that body and show yourself!" Lunick demands, launching a punch only to hit nothing but air. They all know that the enemy really isn't Blake, but the one who is controlling him. They have seem their nemesis before, in their past life, and Blake is most definitely not him.

"I rather like this body," Blake chuckles, stepping behind Lunick and lashing out with a chop, aiming directly at Lunick's neck. The Ranger can't do anything to stop him – in fact, he doesn't even realize an attack is happening until the impact.

Lunick groans as he feels a stab of pain from the vital point on his neck, causing him to black out.

"Lunick!" Kellyn exclaims just as a sparking Minun makes a leap at Blake. The poor Pokémon only gets swatted away like a fly, but not before his Discharge leaves Blake's right arm paralyzed.

"The insect!" Blake hisses, cursing himself for underestimating the electric type.

"Pachirisu!" Kellyn hollers to his Pokémon partner across the field, ordering a Discharge attack as he propels himself towards Blake. Like before, he misses his target as Blake simply steps out of the way. He then takes note of where Pachirisu is and orders Pachirisu to repeat the attack at a different spot as he once again attacks Blake.

He repeats the process several times before he suddenly halts. "Ten meters."

"...pardon?" Blake pauses for a second, baffled.

"Your current range of time manipulation is approximately ten meters in radius." Kellyn says, his eyes scanning around for anything that may aid him.

Blake laughs, unconcerned. It doesn't matter if Kellyn figures it out, whatever attack enters his range immediately gets affected. "May I ask how you figured that out? Could it be that you were doing trial and error earlier with your Pachirisu?"

Kellyn doesn't answer, but Blake is spot on. He had Pachirisu launching Discharge from various locations. He just kept a mental tally of about how far away Pachirisu's attack had been when Blake started to dodge it, while he attacked Blake to ensure he was warping time.

Now that he knows the area that Blake can affect, he just needs to figure out how attacks will be able to reach Blake...

"Ten meters?" Kellyn hears Solana shout behind him. He immediately turns to see Solana running towards him, bruised, a bit bloody, and her clothes ripped and torn. Kellyn nods, confirming her question while wondering if she had taken an attack from one of the legendary Pokémon. As Cresselia moves towards Lunick, Solana nods back.

"Plusle, Thunderbolt!"

Lightning zips past Kellyn, but of course, Blake dodges with ease.

"Solana, what was that-"

"NOW!" she exclaims while the Thunderbolt is still in effect. From the corner of his eyes, Kellyn notice Blake's shadow extending due to the lightning. A little over ten meters, he notes – and where the tip of the shadow extends just out of Blake's range, stands Darkrai.

"Took a while, but finally captured Darkrai!" Solana chirps.

"What?!" Eyes widening behind his sunglasses, Blake freezes on the spot, his feet stuck in the very same pool of darkness that had been his weapon minutes earlier. Kellyn feels a warm sensation spread through his body and hears Lunick groan behind him – Cresselia doing her part.

"Perfect! Plusle, keep up the Thunderbolt!" Solana orders. "Keith! You're the closest!" she starts, but Keith, who finished capturing Dusknoir only seconds ago, nods before she can finish and rushes towards the trapped Blake, already knowing what she wants him to do.

"No!" Blake tries to move, but he's trapped, sunk up to his knees now. Whether due to panic or his entrapment, Blake can't keep Keith from grabbing Celebi, who slams a firey punch into his face for good measure.

"That was for Kate!"

Once Keith gets far enough away from Blake, Solana points at Blake. Kellyn readies an Aura Sphere, and Keith summons a ball of flame to his hand.

"Minun, Pachirisu, Flareon, fry 'im! You can't miss!"

* * *

Kate is in a tunnel of light. It's a pretty long tunnel, she thinks. How long has she been floating through it? A few minutes? Or maybe she's just lagging. She can't shake the feeling that something's wrong, even if she can't remember what that something is. Is it even a tunnel? There's light all around, yet somehow she's heading toward a different one. Could she just float off the path and wander through the light? ...But there wouldn't be much to do. So she keeps going.

She's almost at the end of the tunnel when the soothing chiming of bells calls to her. Those bells are familiar...

Suddenly, she finds herself somewhere else entirely, an extremely familiar space where the swirl of colors isn't defined by reality. "Where..."

"Kate! I'm so glad I caught you!"

The brunette turns around, and sees the little green time traveler hovering in place with her tiny insect wings beating fifty times a second.

"Celebi!" Kate exclaims, then does a double take. "Y-you... you talked!"

If she's remembering correctly, the legendary didn't say anything but her name the first time they met.

The Pokémon giggles and performs a loop in the air.

"Indeed I did! It's telepathy, but that's not important." She flies down to grab Kate's hand and tugs her forward. "Come with me!"

With some difficulty, Celebi guides Kate across the vast empty space. For a while, Kate doesn't know where she's taking her or when they're going to arrive.

"Celebi, are we there yet?" Kate can't help but ask the legendarily annoying question.

"Yup!" The time traveler releases Kate's hand and points. "Look!"

"What are we- wah!" Her hands immediately fly up to shield her eyes as a bright light overtakes them. When she's sure that it's safe, she lowers her hands, only to be greeted by a lustrous green forest. What they're doing here though, she has no idea.

"Why are we here?" Kate turns in a circle and looks around, finding herself and Celebi in a clearing. She has the feeling that she should know this place...

"Kate."

When she hears the gentle tone, her head whips around. She blinks, then does a double take yet again. "K-Katherine?!"

"You seem surprised to see me." The girl in white smiles and walks towards Kate. Strangely, her steps create no sound. No tap of her feet hitting the ground, nor the rustle of grass, something that would be there even if she was as light as a feather. It's more as if she doesn't exist in the plane of the material world.

"Um..." Kate wracks her brain for a response, and for a clue as to how she got here. "I- I was..."

Her head hurts trying to remember, but she still compels herself to dive deep into her memories. Even with all of her effort, though, she still draws a blank.

"Don't think too much," Katherine muses, stretching a hand out. "You won't remember until I give it back to you."

"...Huh?"

"You nearly completed the forgetting stage," the petite girl explains, her hand still outstretched. "Given just a bit more time, you would have been nothing more than another set of memories."

"What do you-" Kate makes the mistake of taking the offered hand and suffers from the backlash of a memory flood. "Ow... Okay, that last one wasn't particularly appealing." Then she frowns. "What happened?"

"You gave up," Katherine says. "You blamed yourself for living when Darkrai showed you your worst nightmare. Celebi simply couldn't hold on."

"I was really worried..." Celebi settles on Kate's head and looks down with concern. "Your mentality was so unstable that I couldn't do anything to calm you down. It's my fault that you had to go through that..."

"It's fine." Kate forces a smile to reassure Celebi. "But am I dead now?"

Katherine shakes her head. "Your friends saved you just in time, using the Tears of the Princes along with Celebi's power. If you had shed the last of your memories, then there wouldn't be a way back."

"..." Kate grips her arms tightly, biting her bottom lip. "I... I don't think-"

"You don't know if you want to go back?" Katherine supplies indifferently. At Kate's gulp and nod, the smaller brunette sighs. "I know that it's frightening to see all of your family and friends leave you, but that's what makes the time spent with them more precious. It's something that I regret about my life. Now, I would rather have them leave me knowing that I'll be just fine than to leave them to a restless end, haunted by my death."

Kate winces. She hadn't thought about that.

"Kate," Katherine says, taking her by the hand, "time is precious, even if you have an infinite amount."

"Y'know... having too much isn't good."

"Kate..."

"I know. I know." Kate sighs, raising a hand up in resignation at Katherine's almost reprimanding tone. "Me being there makes a difference, right? I should make sure they're okay with me leaving - uh... staying. I guess I'm just a little scared."

At the last comment, Katherine releases Kate's hand and shares a knowing look with Celebi.

"I don't think you'll have anything more to worry about."

"...huh?"

"Thanks to your friends and the powers of the Tears. It's quite miraculous!" Celebi speaks up, giggling.

Kate's eyes widen in realization. "Wait, you mean-"

"Kate." Katherine takes a short step back, her hands folded behind her. "Thank you. For keeping your promise."

The taller brunette watches as Katherine begins to fade away in front of her.

"We're free." She offers Kate a hand once more for a final shake. "From now on, we will be parting ways."

Kate blinks and slowly reaches for Katherine's hand before it disappears.

"I didn't do anything though..." Kate shakes away her sadness and smiles brightly at Katherine. "But have a good long sleep, Kat!"

Katherine seems taken aback at the sudden nickname, but giggles. "Thanks!"

Her word of gratitude echoes as she finally disappears towards the sky. Kate stands still in the middle of the clearing, taking in her sudden peace of mind after everything.

The moment lasts a few more seconds before Celebi speaks up. "Time for us to go too!"

"What- AH!" The scenery changes suddenly, and with a whoosh of air, Kate finds herself airborne. "W-we're- we're FALLING!"

She lamely flaps her arms like a bird. She knows that it won't do anything, but it makes her feel slightly better. Not much, but still better than her previous life-flashing-before-her panic.

"C-CELEBI! WHY ARE WE FALLING?!" The little time traveler starts giggling like it's all a joke, leading Kate to have an incredible urge to strangle Celebi.

The legendary points down to a dot that's growing in size as they fall. "We're falling directly towards where your body is!"

"...WHAT?!" Kate exclaims, then looks at herself, finally realizing that she's nothing but an astral body. "WHAT THE HECK!"

Celebi giggles and leads Kate down at a faster speed.

"W-wait!" Kate starts to panic once more. "That's too faaaAAASSSSTTT!"

* * *

After the Blue, Red, and Yellow Gems stops shining like a rainbow, the orb hovering above Kate's sleeping body transforms into Celebi.

"Bi!" The time traveler greets the anxious Rangers, giving them a little wave before vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"What the..." The four of them stare at the spot that Celebi was only a second ago, wondering what just transpired.

Their thoughts are interrupted only a few seconds later when they hear a groan.

"What... the heck..."

"KATE!" The four Top Rangers cheer when the brunette stirs from her slumber.

Kate squints up at the human and Pokémon faces looking down at her. She gives them a weak smile.

"Hey..." She tries to push herself up to a sitting position. "What are you all-"

Before she can even finish, she finds herself caught in a tight embrace. Her hands stay frozen in midair, not understanding what is going on. She can't process anything other than the fact that Kellyn is giving her a hug. He wasn't the type of person to give a lot of hugs, so why...

"Um..." Kate stammers out, confused.

"Thank Arceus," she hears Kellyn murmur next to her ear.

Oh. Kate mentally sighs and moves her hands to wrap around his back with a small smile. He's worried. "Sorry for the trouble."

She then looks up at three more familiar faces, all on the brink of joyful tears.

"Welcome back, Kate." Lunick speaks for all of them.

To actually return to where everyone is and see them again makes her feel silly for being scared to come back. It feels right to be back, to be home with all of her loved ones. Like Katherine said, time is precious. And she should spend what she was given with those she cares about.

She smiles gratefully at all of them.

"I'm back."

* * *

**Fin.**

**Yup I'm done. This is done. I'm sorry if the ending disappoint you... I'll probably get an epilogue if I ever write one (No guarantees) **

** And a BIIIIGGGG thanks to Nighttyger for putting up with me and my grammar :p**

**And another big thank you to the people who review/followed/favorited this story! (You don't know how much it brings a smile on my face when I see the numbers tick up - though reading reviews are always nerve-wrecking but fun nonetheless) **

**I personally think Pokemon Ranger is one of my... botched up plots really, lol. And Tbh, my story writing skills are cringe worthy... but I hope that I'll get better with grammar/plot/etc and be one of those better story tellers *^* **

**Welp, I got nothing much to say other thank THANK YOU ALL FOR READING MY FANFICS~!**


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